eclampsia

enUK

eclampsia

(ĭklămp`sēə), term applied to toxic complications that can occur late in pregnancy. Toxemiatoxemia
, disease state caused by the presence in the blood of bacterial toxins or other harmful substances. The effects of the bacterial toxins known as endotoxins are relatively uniform, regardless of which bacterial species the toxin comes from, and are separate from the
..... Click the link for more information. of pregnancy occurs in 10% to 20% of pregnant women; symptoms include headache, vertigo, visual disturbances, vomiting, hypertension, and edema. The four categories of hypertension during pregnancy are pre-eclampsia, eclampsia, chronic hypertension, and transient hypertension. Pre-eclampsia, which occurs late in pregnancy, is characterized by decreased cardiac output and increased blood vessel resistance. It may be prevented with calcium supplements and low-dose aspirin, and a cesarian section is often safer than natural childbirth. Only 5% of of women with pre-eclampsia progress to eclampsia, which is accompanied by convulsions and coma. To avoid renal and cardiovascular damage of the mother and to prevent fetal damage, the condition is treated by termination of pregnancy.

Eclampsia

a serious disease occurring during pregnancy, labor, or the postpartum period. Eclampsia is a late stage of toxemia of pregnancy. The condition is characterized by convulsions that develop in a definite sequence. Slight fibrillar contractions of the facial muscles (15–30 seconds) are followed by tonic spasms of the total skeletal musculature and loss of consciousness (15–20 seconds). Clonic muscular spasms of the trunk and limbs occur, and, finally, the woman lapses into a brief or prolonged coma. Consciousness returns gradually. In particularly severe cases, eclampsia may occur without convulsions (comatous forms). Eclampsia is often manifested by only a few convulsions, and high blood pressure may not be a symptom. Death may occur during or after convulsions as a result of pulmonary edema, hemorrhages into the brain, and asphyxia. The fetus often dies in utero from hypoxia. The prognosis depends on the number and duration of the convulsions or on the duration of the coma.

Current treatment of eclampsia is based on principles developed by the Soviet obstetrician-gynecologist V. V. Stroganov in 1928. Total physical and mental rest is prescribed. Functioning of the vital organs is restored: Drugs are administered to decrease the excitability of the central nervous system, to lower blood pressure, and to stimulate urination. Oxygen is administered in cases of pronounced hypoxia, and labor is induced quickly but cautiously. The patient should not be moved during convulsions or while in a coma. Prompt hospitalization is required as soon as consciousness is regained. Prophylaxis includes the prevention of advanced toxemia and prompt hospital treatment of neuropathy and preeclampsia.

REFERENCE

Nikolaev, A. P. Pozdnie toksikozy beremennykh. Moscow, 1972.

A. P. KIRIUSHCHENKOV

eclampsia

[i′klam·sē·ə] (medicine) A disorder occurring during the latter half of pregnancy, characterized by elevated blood pressure, edema, proteinuria, and convulsions or coma.

eclampsia

1. Pathol a toxic condition of unknown cause that sometimes develops in the last three months of pregnancy, characterized by high blood pressure, abnormal weight gain and convulsions 2. another name for milk fever (in cattle)

eclampsia

enUK

eclampsia

[e-klamp´se-ah] in pregnant women, the convulsive stage of preeclampsia-eclampsia syndrome; the convulsions are not attributable to other cerebral conditions such as epilepsy. It is a potentially life-threatening disorder characterized by hypertension, generalized edema, and proteinuria. Preeclampsia is a less severe, nonconvulsive form of the disorder. adj., adj eclamp´tic.puerperal eclampsia that occurring after or during childbirth.uremic eclampsia eclampsia due to uremia.

ec·lamp·si·a

(ek-lamp'sē-ă), Occurrence of one or more convulsions, not attributable to other cerebral conditions such as epilepsy or cerebral hemorrhage, in a patient with preeclampsia. [G. eklampsis, a shining forth]

eclampsia

(ĭ-klămp′sē-ə)n. Coma or convulsions in a patient with preeclampsia, occurring in late pregnancy, during labor, or within 24 hours after giving birth.

e·clamp′tic (-tĭk) adj.

eclampsia/pre-eclampsia

(From Greek eklampsis, shining forth) Metabolic toxemia of pregnancy Obstetrics A condition which usually develops in late pregnancy or the immediate puerperium Clinical HTN, hemoconcentration, sodium retention with resultant edema Lab Albuminuria, proteinuria, hypoproteinemia, ↑ nitrogen/BUN; pre-eclampsia is most common in primigravidas, after the 24^th gestational wk, but may occur as soon as trophoblastic tissue is present Treatment If mild, bed rest and sedation; if severe, antihypertensives–eg, vasodilators, α methyldopa; if convulsions, magnesium sulfate. See HELLP syndrome.

ec·lamp·si·a

(ĕ-klamp'sē-ă) Occurrence of one or more convulsions, not attributable to other cerebral conditions such as epilepsy or cerebral hemorrhage, in a patient with preeclampsia. [G. eklampsis, a shining forth]

eclampsia

A serious complication of pregnancy in which dangerous seizures occur with a high mortality. Eclampsia is always preceded by the warning state of pre-eclampsia. This consists of raised blood pressure, OEDEMA, and protein (albumin and sometimes globulin) in the urine. The risk of eclampsia ceases soon, but not immediately, after the baby is born. It has recently been discovered that a rise in the levels of circulating angiogenic factors can predict the development of pre-eclampsia.

eclampsia

e·clamp·si·a

eclampsia

ec•lamp•si•a

eclampsia

eclampsia

Eclampsia

REFERENCE

eclampsia

eclampsia

eclampsia

eclampsia

ec·lamp·si·a

eclampsia

eclampsia/pre-eclampsia

ec·lamp·si·a

eclampsia

eclampsia

Words related to eclampsia

noun a toxic condition characterized by convulsions and possibly coma during or immediately after pregnancy

Related Words