What constitutes status epilepticus?

Status epilepticus is typically defined as a medical emergency involving continuous seizure activity or recurrent seizures without recovery of consciousness between them. It can be classified into two main types:

1. Convulsive status epilepticus: characterized by prolonged generalized tonic-clonic seizures.

2. Non-convulsive status epilepticus: which may present with altered mental status without clinically overt seizures.

The duration that constitutes status epilepticus is generally recognized as a seizure lasting more than 5 minutes, but more importantly, the critical aspect is the recurrence of seizures without recovery of full consciousness, which aligns with choice C.

The combination of both criteria, as stated in the correct answer, acknowledges that status epilepticus can be represented by seizures lasting more than 10 minutes or multiple seizures in succession where the patient does not regain consciousness in between, reflecting the seriousness of this condition. Management requires immediate medical intervention to prevent long-term neurological damage. Therefore, recognizing either of those definitions accurately identifies status epilepticus and underscores the urgency of treatment.