Intubation in Status Epilepticus

Wednesday, April 9, 2025

11:55am – 12:05pm ET

Location: Sandringham/Windsor - 2nd Level

CE: 0.25 CME Credit

Speaker(s)

Dillon Warr, MD

Attending Physician, Assistant Clinical Professor of Emergency Medicine
Valleywise Health Medical Center/Creighton of Phoenix Emergency Medicine Residency
Phoenix, Arizona

Disclosure(s): No financial relationships to disclose

Disclosure(s):

Dillon Warr, MD, FAAEM: No financial relationships to disclose

Intubation in status epilepticus is not a failure of ED management but rather a critical intervention for refractory status epilepticus–when seizures continue despite adequate doses of benzodiazepine and a second line antiepileptic medication. Here, we will discuss that intubation is ultimately a tool to facilitate seizure cessation. We will highlight the approach to intubation in status epilepticus, with a focus on intubation timing, induction and paralytic agent selection, and dose appropriate post-intubation anti-epileptic infusion, all to facilitate rapid seizure cessation.

Learning Objectives:

After this session, the learner will be able to describe the indications for intubation in status epilepticus and the definition of refractory status.
After this session, the learner will be able to list the induction agents with anti-epileptic properties and appreciate the limited, but available evidence supporting their use in status epilepticus.
After this session, the learner will be able to identify the appropriate dose of propofol for post-intubation sedation in the setting of status epilepticus and appreciate the possible need for vasopressor infusion.