A pregnant patient has a generalized seizure during labor. What should you administer?

Get ready for the Paramedic Readiness Exam 5. Study with multiple-choice questions, detailed explanations, and effective strategies. Enhance your exam preparedness today!

Multiple Choice

A pregnant patient has a generalized seizure during labor. What should you administer?

Magnesium sulfate is the treatment of choice for seizures in preeclampsia/eclampsia. It stabilizes neural membranes and reduces CNS excitability, helping prevent and stop recurrent seizures in a laboring patient who experiences a generalized seizure. While controlling blood pressure is important in these patients, it does not prevent seizures; antihypertensives like hydralazine or labetalol may be used to manage severe hypertension but won’t address the seizure risk. Diazepam isn’t the preferred option here due to maternal and fetal risks and because it doesn’t provide the same proven protection against recurrent seizures as magnesium sulfate. Administer magnesium sulfate per protocol (commonly a loading dose of 4–6 g IV over about 20 minutes, followed by a maintenance infusion of 1–2 g/hour) with close monitoring of reflexes, respiratory rate, and urine output, and have calcium gluconate ready to treat potential magnesium toxicity. Prepare for delivery and airway management as indicated.

Magnesium sulfate is the treatment of choice for seizures in preeclampsia/eclampsia. It stabilizes neural membranes and reduces CNS excitability, helping prevent and stop recurrent seizures in a laboring patient who experiences a generalized seizure. While controlling blood pressure is important in these patients, it does not prevent seizures; antihypertensives like hydralazine or labetalol may be used to manage severe hypertension but won’t address the seizure risk. Diazepam isn’t the preferred option here due to maternal and fetal risks and because it doesn’t provide the same proven protection against recurrent seizures as magnesium sulfate. Administer magnesium sulfate per protocol (commonly a loading dose of 4–6 g IV over about 20 minutes, followed by a maintenance infusion of 1–2 g/hour) with close monitoring of reflexes, respiratory rate, and urine output, and have calcium gluconate ready to treat potential magnesium toxicity. Prepare for delivery and airway management as indicated.

More practice questions