Multidisciplinary preceptors from the Anita Garibaldi Center for Health Education and Research (Anita), at the Santos Dumont Institute (ISD), carried out a training activity on epilepsy for teams of doctors and nurses working in the basic health network of the municipality of São Gonçalo do Amarante (RN). 18 doctors and nurses from the municipality, who work in health units in the urban and rural areas of the municipality, participated in the training on Wednesday (20). 

The action is part of a project that aims to train primary care professionals so that they know how to monitor, diagnose, make possible referrals and provide all the necessary support for the demands of potential cases of epilepsy that reach the network. The disease can cause convulsions or non-convulsive seizures and, for example, sensations of distorted perception, uncontrolled movements of a part of the body or sudden fear.

According to the nurse at the Mangueirão Basic Health Unit, in the community of São Gonçalo do Amarante, it is necessary to understand the signs of epilepsy so as not to confuse it with other diseases. “I wasn’t sure how to identify the case, since epilepsy can be confused with other neurological diseases. With the course, we learn how to make a possible diagnosis and make the correct referral when there is a suspicion of epilepsy. There is a demand for epilepsy in the unit and it was very enlightening for us to understand the disease and the paths we should follow for diagnosis, referral and treatment so as not to ignore the patient’s signs and start treatment as quickly as possible to ensure the patient’s survival,” explained Edna Dantas. 

The training focuses on cases of controlled epilepsy, which can be treated with medication and can count on the assistance of Basic Health Units. “The course for the teams was designed to improve patient care in their municipalities and to qualify the care and management of Epilepsy, in addition to understanding the referral flow of people with Drug-Resistant Epilepsy, which are the most serious cases,” explains the multidisciplinary preceptor and social worker at ISD, Alexandra Lima, one of the professionals leading the action. 

São Gonçalo do Amarante is one of the municipalities covered by the Specialized Rehabilitation Center (CER IV ISD) located in Anita, and is the third to receive training on the subject, which has already been attended by professionals from Macaíba and Extremoz. Another 32 professionals from São Gonçalo received training on the same subject at Anita in early October. 

The CER IV ISD Epilepsy Clinic is a reference in Rio Grande do Norte in providing assistance to drug-resistant epilepsies – which trigger seizures that are difficult to control with medication. 

“Even cases that are difficult to control, when discharged, are monitored more closely by family health strategies, so it is important that professionals are able to receive, recognize and provide the necessary assistance to patients with epileptic conditions,” says Alexandra. 

Treatment at ISD

The epilepsy clinic at the Specialized Rehabilitation Center (CER-lll) at Anita/ISD is a service for the reception, care and specialized multidisciplinary treatment of severe epilepsies, known as drug-resistant. 

The Multidisciplinary Service Specialized in Pharmacoresistant Epilepsy (SEMEP), has a team of professionals from Neurosurgery, Pediatric and Adult Neurology, Social Work, Psychology, Physiotherapy, Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Nutrition specialized in the Ketogenic Diet.