Rescue Medication

Every seizure should be treated seriously. Knowing the appropriate first aid techniques and the proper response time will help ensure the safety of a person having a seizure. There is a difference between a ‘serious seizure’ and a ‘seizure emergency.’ Some seizures are more dangerous than others.

Though a tonic-clonic seizure can be frightening, a single brief seizure is rarely dangerous to the affected person or to those around him or her. However, this kind of seizure becomes an emergency if the affected person is driving, pregnant or suffering from their first tonic-clonic seizure.  Prolonged, continuous or repetitive tonic-clonic seizures are also emergencies. 

First Aid: Rescue Medication

Rescue medications manufactured to stop seizures in progress exist for use by both medical and non-medical personnel.

• For trained medical personnel, rescue medications are used to stop prolonged seizures in the emergency room.
• Various rescue medications exist. These drugs are powerful products and should only be used by trained medical personnel.
• For non-medical personnel, there are several rescue drugs:
• • Lorazepam – Ativan
  • Clonazepam – Klonopin
  • Midazolam – Versed
  • Diazapam – Valium, Diastat

Administration of Rescue Medicine

Administering rescue medicines to a person experiencing convulsions is a difficult process. Typically rescue medication is administered via mouth, through the nose, held in their cheek or rectally.

Rectal administration is not practical in a public place, but it is the easiest method for the non-medically trained.

Diastat rescue medicine is the gel form of diazepam. Diastat is administered rectally and can be used by the non-medically trained to stop a seizure, unusually prolonged clusters of seizures, and to prevent status epilepticus. It is not an appropriate medicine to use with every seizure, but it is the only pre-measured rescue medicine for prolonged seizures. Some pharmacies will prepare liquid diazepam in a syringe for rectal administration.

If the seizures do not stop within 15 minutes after administering Diastat, call for emergency help. If the seizure does stops, note its length, type and number. Give that information to the doctor. Observe the person for FOUR hours and check for medication side effects, such as agitation. Also, look for any changes in pulse, breathing and skin color, and expect sleepiness for a few hours afterward.