Seizure Rescue Therapies

Not all people with epilepsy have seizure emergencies and may not need to use any treatment other than their regular daily seizure medications. Sometimes seizures occur in a different pattern that is more frequent or more severe. These patterns are called seizure clusters or acute repetitive seizures. Stopping seizures early in these situations is the key to preventing a seizure emergency.  

There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to rescue therapy. Since each person’s seizures are different, their seizure action plan or acute seizure action plan should be made specifically for them.  

When going to the doctor:

• Describe your typical seizure pattern and how you recognize it.
• If you keep a seizure diary, share it with your healthcare provider to help recognize any patterns.
• Ask if rescue medications are right for you and develop a clear plan with your provider about when they should be used, and if the dose can be repeated if the first one does not work.

Rescue medications may be recommended when:

• Seizures occur that differ from your usual type or pattern.
• Seizures occur more frequently than usual.
• Seizures last longer than typical events.
• Seizure cluster patterns are different than usual – for example, when the seizures within the cluster are longer than normal or the intervals between them are shorter than normal.
• Seizures occur at high-risk times – for example, during medication changes, when sick, or with airplane travel across multiple time zones.