Eclampsia

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Preeclampsia

Overview

Symptoms

Treatment

Prevention

Eclampsia

Alternative Names:

Toxemia with seizures

Symptoms:

ECLAMPSIA

Seizures
Severe agitation
Unconsciousness for a variable period of time
possible musculoskeletal aches and pains after an event caused by trauma

PREECLAMPSIA

Nondependent edema (swelling of the hands and face which is present upon arising). Some dependent edema -- that is, swelling of the feet and ankles -- is considered normal with pregnancy.
Unintentional weight gain in excess of 2 pounds per week. It may be a very sudden gain over 1 to 2 days.
Headache which is resistant to treatment with usual pain medications.
Visual disturbances.
Epigastric or upper abdominal pain.

Signs and tests:

ECLAMPSIA

Involuntary movements (tonic-clonic seizures) occur.
The relaxation phase of deep-tendon reflexes may be prolonged.
Breathing (respiration) may cease for brief periods (apnea).
Physical evidence of trauma may be noted.
Infrequently, an eye examination may note retinal changes caused by hypertension.

PREECLAMPSIA

Documented weight gain occurs.
Nondependent edema occurs.
Blood pressure is high (140/90 millimeters mercury or greater) Protein is noted in urine (proteinuria).
The platelet count is less than 100,000/FL (thrombocytopenia).
Liver function tests are elevated.

Eclampsia or preeclampsia may also alter the results of the following tests:

Hematocrit
Serum chloride
Uric acid
Creatinine
CBC
Blood differential

Review Date: 4/14/2004
Reviewed By: Dominic Marchiano, M.D., Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Pennsylvania Hospital, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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