Status epilepticus is defined as

• A. A prolonged seizure or two or more seizures without full recovery
• B. A single seizure lasting more than five minutes
• C. Recurrent headaches after a seizure
• D. Seizure with alcohol withdrawal only

Answer: (A)

Status epilepticus is a medical emergency defined by ongoing seizure activity that can cause brain injury. The best description is a seizure that lasts longer than five minutes or two or more seizures without the person returning to baseline between them. This captures both situations that require urgent treatment: a single prolonged seizure and repeated seizures without recovery. A single seizure lasting over five minutes is a critical threshold for concern, but the broader definition includes repeated seizures without interictal recovery. The other options don’t describe this condition: headaches after a seizure are unrelated, and a seizure that occurs only with alcohol withdrawal is a trigger scenario, not the definition of status epilepticus.