We describe the case of a 62-year-old man who developed stimulus-induced focal motor seizures after prolonged cardiac arrest. During a video-EEG study, these focal motor seizures progressed into a generalised myoclonic status epilepticus. Both the severely decremented background activity on the EEG, and the absence of median and trigeminal somatosensory evoked potentials were in keeping with a devastating post-hypoxic encephalopathy and the patient died. Our clinical and electrophysiology data suggest that generalised myoclonic status epilepticus may occur in patients in whom the existence of severe cerebral damage prevents a complete development of all phases of classic generalised tonic-clonic seizures.