Seizures account for between 5%–8% of all EMS responses in the United States, and about 71% of those patients end up being transported to EDs. Rapid treatment is essential to the survival of seizure patients, and even when patients don’t succumb to their seizures, time is brain because prolonged seizures are difficult to treat and can cause lasting brain injury. Absence seizures are characterized by a brief loss and return of consciousness. are impossible to detect using basic clinical parameters, and if a patient is in status absence seizures these contribute to long-term disability and death.

Alameda Fire Dept undertook a bold research project to see if a new device could capture a hospital-grade EEG in the field and then transmit that EEG to the ED and a neurologist, becoming the first EMS service in the world to send an EEG to a hospital. Learn about their research and how this new technology has applications beyond detecting absence seizures.
Learning Objectives:

At the end of the presentation, the participant will understand the importance of the EEG and goals for the study
At the end of the presentation, the participant will be able to describe the clinical application of the EEG in detecting absence seizures; LVOC stroke; and traumatic brain injury
At the end of the presentation, the participant will understand what are the basic components of the EEG.