What systemic physiologic changes occur during a seizure
For both absence and complex partial seizures, the patient may have a variety of autonomic alterations, including changes in pulse rate, perspiration, salivation, pupillary dilatation, and urinary incontinence.
The most dramatic systemic changes occur during generalized tonic–clonic seizures, with increased blood pressure and pulse rate, increased autonomic nervous system activation, metabolic acidosis, and a drop in PO 2 and increase in PCO 2 during the apneic tonic phase.
Prolonged generalized tonic–clonic seizures may have serious consequences including hyperkalemia or rhabdomyolysis.
