Epileptic Seizure — ORE Part 1 MCQ

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EasyPharmacology & TherapeuticsEpileptic SeizureORE Part 1

A patient has a generalised tonic-clonic seizure in the dental chair. It has continued for 2 minutes. What is the most appropriate immediate management?

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Correct answer: C — Protect from injury, avoid restraint, and continue timing the seizure

Explanation lettering: B = shown as A · E = shown as B · A = shown as C · C = shown as E

The correct answer is A. At 2 minutes, immediate care is seizure first aid: prevent injury, cushion or protect the head where possible, remove nearby hazards, avoid restraint, and time the event. Nothing should be put into the mouth. A convulsive seizure lasting more than 5 minutes requires emergency escalation; buccal midazolam may be used for prolonged convulsive seizures when indicated by the patient’s prescribed emergency plan. Therefore B is premature in this stem. C and E are unsafe because oral devices or objects may cause injury or obstruct the airway, and restraint can injure the patient or staff. D is not appropriate first-line dental-chair management of a 2-minute seizure and unnecessarily introduces intravenous drug and respiratory-risk issues.

Reference: NHS, “What to do if someone has a seizure (fit)”, accessed July 2026. https://www.nhs.uk/symptoms/what-to-do-if-someone-has-a-seizure-fit/