Webinar #30 | “Seizures in a COVID-19 Patient”

TVUP

The University of the Philippines
in partnership with
Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth)
and UP Manila NIH National Telehealth Center
in cooperation with
UP Manila College of Medicine and UP Philippine General Hospital would like to invite you to join the Fight Against COVID-19!

The Webinar Series “STOP COVID DEATHS: VIRTUAL GRAND ROUNDS” – the very first Online Medical Grand Rounds in the Philippines
is scheduled EVERY FRIDAY from 12nn to 2pm.

Webinar #30: “Seizures in a COVID-19 Patient”
November 13, 2020 (Friday) 12nn

Guest Speaker:
Dr. Teodoro J. Herbosa
Special Adviser
National Task Force on COVID-19

Clinical Discussant:
Dr. Marc Fernandez
Clinical Associate Professor, College of Medicine
UP Manila

Presentor:
Dr. Athena Antonio
Fellow, EEG and Epilepsy,
Department of Neurosciences, PGH

Health Systems Discussant:
Dr. Leopoldo Vega
Health Undersecretary and Treatment Czar, Department of Health
Head, One Hospital Command Center

Case Capsule: A 90-year old shows neurological signs and tests positive for SARS-CoV-2. After several attempts to receive emergency care- but he is turned down by 7 hospitals- the patient deteriorates further and develops seizures. Are these seizures related to COVID-19?
Nine months into the pandemic, patients who test positive for SARS‐CoV‐2 who present with neurological symptoms pose particular challenges to clinical management. There are some reports of possible neuroinvasiveness of SARS‐CoV‐2 as well as pathophysiological mechanisms and indirect consequences in severe COVID‐19 cases. Another factor is the delay in emergency care for patients with neurological symptoms because of COVID-19 infection – leading to hypoxia – and an increased risk of seizure recurrence or the development of new onset and acute symptomatic seizures.

Moreover, a severe disease course and advanced disease stages can, for instance, result in hypoxic encephalopathy, cerebrovascular events, and cytokine storm, which may manifest as seizures. There is still a lot that is unknown about COVID-19 and the brain. This case of a 90-year old who develops seizures raises more questions about the impact of COVID-19 on the nervous system. Moreover, the delay in providing emergency medical care to patients with neurological systems is an equally life-threatening concern that is currently being addressed through the One-Hospital Command Center that will be presented by DOH Undersecretary and Treatment Czar, Dr Leopoldo “Bong” Vega.