Introduction

SE is a medical emergency that requires urgent aggressive therapy in order to limit any long-term damage. The following principles must be recognised:

• Early initiation of anticonvulsants is key to successful treatment
• Outcomes worsen with increasing duration of SE
• Loss of responsiveness to benzodiazepines will occur with time

Effective treatment can be effected in two phases:

• Pre-hospital
• In hospital

We will consider these in turn.