[Treatment of status epilepticus]

The management of status epilepticus (SE) is very complex due to the variability of its clinical features. This paper aims to achieve an schematic basis for a consensus in the treatment of these patients. Thus we need the clinical forms of SE grouped according to the differences in treatment. We also need to divided the development of every type of SE into stages in order to adjust the correct application of general measures and antiepileptic drugs. In patients prone to suffering recurrent seizures it is important to prevent risk factors. We can sometimes identify a premonitory phase during which the clinical deterioration presages SE; in these cases immediate treatment at home can prevent the evolution into true SE. Once SE has developed up to stage of early SE or stablished SE, the treatment must be carried out in emergency department. If seizures have not responded, the stage of refractory SE is reached and Intensive Care Unit facilities are mandatory. We devote special attention to conic-clonic SE but the other clinical forms of SE are categorized according to the differences in treatment.