Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-nmvwc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-01T00:46:26.014Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Chapter 1 - Paroxysmal attacks: diagnostic gold standards and history-taking

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 December 2010

Bettina Schmitz
Affiliation:
Vivantes Humboldt-Klinikum, Berlin, Germany
Barbara Tettenborn
Affiliation:
Johannes Gutenberg Universität Mainz, Germany
Donald L. Schomer
Affiliation:
Harvard University, Massachusetts
Get access

Summary

The gold standard case history is of particularly high importance in paroxysmal disorders because many seizures may comprise a variety of subjective symptoms or may even consist exclusively of these symptoms. Taking a seizure history is primarily for diagnostic purposes, largely to differentiate epilepsy from other seizure-like disorders but also to distinguish between different types of epileptic seizures and to understand the anatomy and etiology of these events. Hypotheses are formed, followed-up or refuted, and they determine the subsequent course of the interview. Such an in-depth dialogue also opens up perspectives beyond diagnostics. Beyond providing diagnostic clues and anatomical understanding, another frequent consequence of these interviews is indications for the best further therapeutic strategy. Verbal communication is only successful when the partners in dialogue find a common language. A dialogue is frequently necessary to get the full picture of all subjective seizure symptoms and their sequence.
Type
Chapter
Information
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2010

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure coreplatform@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×