Status epilepticus treatment with antiepileptic

Measure Purpose: To stop status epilepticus and rapidly attain therapeutic levels of an anti-seizure medication for maintenance therapy

The numerator: Patients in generalized convulsive status epilepticus (SE) rapidly* treated with non-benzodiazepine anti-seizure medication following (or simultaneously ordered with) the administration of a benzodiazepine.

*See full specifications for additional details

is divided by

The denominator: Patients aged 16 and older diagnosed with generalized convulsive status epilepticus

Exclusions are removed from the denominator for:

Status epilepticus due to alcohol or benzodiazepine/barbiturate withdrawal
Pediatric febrile SE patients
Pediatric patient already prescribed an anti-seizure medication

Key Phrases

Key phrases you should document to meet the measure include:

Prescribed a benzodiazepine followed by a non-benzodiazepine anti-seizure medication
Prescribed a benzodiazepine simultaneously with a non-benzodiazepine anti-seizure medication
Prescribed [x] followed by [x]
Prescribed [x] simultaneously with [x]

Measure Calculation Example

Dr. Silva had 23 patients present to the emergency department (ED) in status epilepticus and 14 that were on her hospital service during the measurement period. Three of those patients were under the age of 16 and one had status epilepticus due to alcohol withdrawal. These four patients are removed from the denominator as exclusions.

Of the remaining 33 patients, 11 had a non-benzodiazepine anti-seizure medication following the administration of a benzodiazepine and 3 had a non-benzodiazepine antiepileptic/anti-seizure medication simultaneously as the administration of a benzodiazepine.

Quality of care = 14/(37-4). Dr. Silva's has a score of 42% for this measure.