The Spanish Society of Neurology's official clinical practice guidelines for epilepsy

Abstract

Previous official clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for epilepsy were based on expert opinions and developed by the Epilepsy Study Group of the Spanish Society of Neurology (GE-SEN).The current CPG in epilepsy is based on the scientific method, which extracts recommendations from published scientific evidence. Reducing variability in clinical practice through standardisation of medical practice is its main function. Scope and objectivesThis CPG focuses on comprehensive care for individuals affected by epilepsy as a primary and predominant symptom, regardless of the age of onset and medical policy. Methodology(1) Creation of a working group of GE-SEN neurologists, in collaboration with neuropediatricians, neurophysiologists and neuroradiologists. (2) Identification of clinical areas to be covered: diagnosis, prognosis and treatment. (3) Search and selection of the relevant scientific evidence. (4) Formulation of recommendations based on the classification of the available scientific evidence. ResultsThe CPG contains 161 recommendations of which 57% were established by consensus between authors and publishers, due to significant lack of awareness of this disorder in many fields. ConclusionsThis epilepsy CPG formulates recommendations based on explicit scientific evidence as a result of a formal and rigorous methodology, according to the current knowledge in the pre-selected areas.This paper includes the CPG chapter dedicated to emergency situations in seizures and epilepsy. These may present as a first seizure, an unfavourable outcome in a patient with known epilepsy, or status epilepticus (SE) as the most severe manifestation.