EEG monitoring in the intensive care unit

Performing EEG in the intensive care unit (ICU) has many technical, environmental and resource-related challenges. Recording audio and video with EEG is always preferable for recognising artifacts and stimulus-evoked changes. Non-epileptic movements are very common is the critically ill, and their recognition prevents inappropriate overuse of AEDs. Nonconvulsive status defined by EEG is commonly detected in the ICU by continuous EEG monitoring. It is unknown whether such EEG findings are a cause or consequence of coma, or whether they worsen or simply reflect outcome. EEG is the first and only real-time monitor of epileptic seizures, and continues to be a powerful measure of cerebral function in the seriously ill.