“As needed” medicines are medicines or treatments that are given only if needed for specific situations. Some people also call them “rescue treatments.”
Since seizure emergencies are not common, most people with epilepsy will not need to use any treatment other than their daily amount of seizure medicine. However, sometimes seizures occur in different patterns or more often than normal. Stopping seizures early in these situations is the key to preventing a seizure emergency.
The most common type of rescue medicines are from a group of medicines called benzodiazepines. These are generally fast-acting, which means they will start to work quickly once they get into the bloodstream.
Scott Perry MD and Patty Osborne Shafer RN, MN, talk about therapies that can be used to help ensure a seizure does not become a seizure emergency. They covered types of rescue therapies, when one is needed, how to use them, and how to talk with your doctor or nurse them.
Webinar recorded on September 25, 2019