As much as medical dramas are just television shows, their portrayal of certain emergency situations can leave powerful impressions upon the viewer. For those who have had formal CPR training, how many times have you seen incorrect compression techniques used on tv? Now, a new Canadian study is calling attention to the incorrect management of seizures as portrayed on popular US medical dramas (Grey’s Anatomy, House, MD, Private Practice, ER), and how these depictions can cause the lay person to inappropriately intervene should they be in the presence of someone having a seizure. The researchers found that nearly 46% of the time seizures were handled incorrectly by either holding the person down, trying to stop the involuntary movements, or putting things in the person’s mouth – all these are wrong ways to manage seizures. In nearly all these depictions, first aid was administered by nurses and doctors. The lead author described the findings as a call to action and urged those with epilepsy to “lobby the television industry to adhere to guidelines for first aid management of seizures.” This study will be presented this April at the American Academy of Neurology’s 62nd Annual Meeting in Toronto. [via Medical News Today]
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Dr. Steven Chang, the author of DailyDose, is a staff physician with Kosmix RightHealth. Dr. Chang practices Family Medicine at the University of California Davis Medical Center, where his medical interests include both pediatric and geriatric care, public health, gay and lesbian health, and sleep medicine. Dr. Chang trained at the Stanford University affiliated O'Connor Hospital, and was a research fellow at the National Institute of Health. He holds an M.D. from McGill University and a BA in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University.