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Estado de mal epiléptico

Last reviewed: 15 Jan 2026
Last updated: 19 Dec 2025

Summary

Definition

History and exam

Key diagnostic factors

  • convulsões tônico-clônicas persistentes ou repetitivas com nível de consciência alterado (estado de mal epiléptico convulsivo generalizado)
  • alteração do nível de consciência/confusão (estado de mal epiléptico não convulsivo)
Full details

Other diagnostic factors

  • estado de mal epiléptico focal sem alteração da consciência
  • baixa saturação de oxigênio
Full details

Risk factors

  • não adesão aos anticonvulsivantes
  • transtornos decorrentes do uso de bebidas alcoólicas
  • acidente vascular cerebral (AVC)
  • epilepsia refratária
  • causas tóxicas ou metabólicas
  • processos que causam a lesão direta da estrutura cortical
  • uso de determinados medicamentos
Full details

Diagnostic investigations

1st investigations to order

  • nível de anticonvulsivante no sangue
  • análise toxicológica
  • perfil metabólico completo
  • Hemograma completo
  • eletrocardiograma (ECG)
  • eletroencefalografia (EEG)
Full details

Investigations to consider

  • gasometria arterial
  • tomografia computadorizada (TC) do crânio
  • punção lombar
  • ressonância nuclear magnética (RNM) de crânio
  • EEG contínuo (EEGc)
Full details

Treatment algorithm

ACUTE

estado de mal epiléptico convulsivo generalizado

estado de mal epiléptico não convulsivo

Contributors

Authors

Emily L. Johnson, MD

Associate Professor of Neurology

Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions

Baltimore

MD

Disclosures

ELJ declares that she has no competing interests.

Acknowledgements

Dr Emily L. Johnson would like to gratefully acknowledge Dr Ronald P. Lesser, Dr Mohammad Koubeissi, and Dr Nabil Azar, previous contributors to this topic.

Disclosures

RPL or his wife have stock in the following companies, which sell healthcare products: Abbott Labs, Apple, Avanos, Celgene, Express Scripts, Johnson and Johnson, and Pfizer. MK declares that he has no competing interests. NA declares that he has no competing interests.

Peer reviewers

Maria Jose Bruzzone Giraldez, MD

Assistant Professor Epilepsy Division

University of Florida

Gainesville

FL

Disclosures

None

Yvonne Hart, MBBS

Consultant Neurologist

John Radcliffe Hospital

Oxford

UK

Disclosures

YH has been reimbursed by UCB Pharma Ltd, Janssen-Cilag Ltd, Pfizer Ltd, and Eisai Ltd for attending conferences; has taught at meetings sponsored by the above companies and by GlaxoSmithKline Services Unlimited; and has received payment for advisory board work from UCB Pharma Ltd, Janssen-Cilag Ltd, Eisai Ltd, and GlaxoSmithKline Services Unlimited.

Peer reviewer acknowledgements

BMJ Best Practice topics are updated on a rolling basis in line with developments in evidence and guidance. The peer reviewers listed here have reviewed the content at least once during the history of the topic.

Disclosures

Peer reviewer affiliations and disclosures pertain to the time of the review.

References

Our in-house evidence and editorial teams collaborate with international expert contributors and peer reviewers to ensure that we provide access to the most clinically relevant information possible.

Key articles

Brophy GM, Bell R, Claassen J, et al; Neurocritical Care Society Status Epilepticus Guideline Writing Committee. Guidelines for the evaluation and management of status epilepticus. Neurocrit Care. 2012 Aug;17(1):3-23. Abstract

Glauser T, Shinnar S, Gloss D. Evidence-based guideline: treatment of convulsive status epilepticus in children and adults: report of the Guideline Committee of the American Epilepsy Society. Epilepsy Curr. 2016 Jan-Feb;16(1):48-61.Full text  Abstract

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Epilepsies in children, young people and adults. Jan 2025 [internet publication].Full text

Reference articles

A full list of sources referenced in this topic is available to users with access to all of BMJ Best Practice.
  • Differentials

    • Estado de mal epiléptico (EME) não epilético
    • Delirium
    • Coma
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  • Guidelines

    • Epilepsies in children, young people and adults
    • Emergency management of the paediatric patient with convulsive status epilepticus
    More Guidelines
  • Patient information

    Epilepsia: perguntas a fazer ao seu médico

    Epilepsia: o que é?

    More Patient information
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