Seizure Rescue Breath

By C McDonnell November 2021

Seizure Rescue Breath (SRB) is an emergency technique used to stop seizures ^[1]. Seizure Rescue Breath seizure recovery method may offer carers and parents with an alternative option to prevent or stop seizures in their tracks. SRB is a very versatile option as the recovery technique could to be used in any setting, for instance in schools, on trips or at home. A CPR mask can be worn for hygiene purposes.

Consult with your epilepsy medical care team to discuss options to include SRB into your individual seizure care plan.

Seizure Rescue Breath (SRB) Technique

Lengthy seizures that don’t stop naturally are called status epilepticus. These seizure are dangerous, due to risk of injury, brain damage or death. SRB offers another option to stopping seizures.

Seizure Rescue Breath works by breathing a gentle outward breath into the mouth or nose of a person experiencing a seizure, or about to.

Exhaled breath contains carbon dioxide (CO2) gas. Studies dating back decades have revealed that increasing carbon dioxide levels in the body slightly may have the ability to shut down seizure activity taking place or about to occur ^{[2, 3]}] more recent research identifies the areas and mechanisms within the brain that respond to elevate CO2 levels, to shut down seizure activity ^[4]

Seizure Rescue Breath provides another approach to stopping seizures, with no or very limited equipment. The method can be applied within a seizure emergency care plan, for example while waiting for an ambulance or before rescue medication is applied (often medication is delivered at 5 minutes seizure duration).

SRB may be an effective option for stopping different seizures types:

• febrile convulsions
• myoclonus
• partial
• absence
• tonic clonic seizures

Trials are taking place in hospital settings within the UK, involving applying carbon dioxide mixed gas to patients in status epilepticus seizures (seizures lasting over 5 minutes). These clinical trials will further investigate the mechanisms and applications of stopping seizures with slightly raised levels of carbon dioxide within the body.

References

1. ^ https://www.frontiersin.org/10.3389/conf.fneur.2019.62.00020/event_abstract/
2. ^ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/696105
3. ^ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3152150
4. ^ https://medicalxpress.com/news/2008-06-brain-pathway-seizures.html?utm_source=TrendMD&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=MedicalXpress_TrendMD_1&tid=f6qvEWIGXXAd2b1ElqjNPeM05mfU/d2Zr7eneGlASC3ovBMER4CShfafFfaUaSP1b6asNg