SUDEP describes the risk to epileptics of unexpectedly dying with unknown cause. The risk is higher for those with severe epilepsy that do not respond to treatment. It affects around 1% of people with epilepsy.

Sudden Unexpected Death In Epilepsy (SUDEP)

Status epilepticus describes having either a continuous seizure for more than five minutes, or having several seizures without regaining consciousness in between. This increases the risk for permanent brain damage and death.

Status Epilepticus

Some complications of epilepsy are uncommon, but are life-threatening. These include status epilepticus and sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP).

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder in which brain activity becomes abnormal, resulting in seizures, unusual behavior, sensations, and lack of awareness. Symptoms may vary widely, and at least 2 seizures without a known cause at least 24 hours apart are usually required for an epilepsy diagnoses.

Epilepsy

Mayo Clinic. (n.d.). Epilepsy. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/epilepsy/symptoms-causes/syc-20350093


Epilepsy Mayo Clinic

In about half of cases, epilepsy has no identifiable cause. In the other half, epilepsy may be caused by genetic influence, head trauma, brain abnormalities, infections, prenatal injury, or developmental disorders

Epilepsy Causes

Symptoms of epilepsy vary widely. In most cases, an individual's seizure symptoms will be similar each time. Seizures can be categorized to focal seizures and generalized seizures.

Epilepsy Symptoms

Anyone can have epilepsy, regardless of gender, race, and age. Common risk factors are age, family history, head injuries, stroke/vascular diseases, dementia, brain infections, and seizures in childhood.

Epilepsy Risk Factors

Some complications are common, and result from having seizures at certain times. These include falling, drowning, car accidents, pregnancy complications, and emotional health issues.

Common Epilepsy Complications

Uncommon Epilepsy Complications

The primary methods of treatment for epilepsy include anti-seizure medication, surgery, and therapy.

Epilepsy Treatments

People with epilepsy experience a higher than average amount of certain mood and psychological disorders. Some of these result directly from the effects of the abnormal brain activity seizures stem from, while others are secondary effects. However, most epileptics find they have no abnormal emotional or psychological symptoms.

Epilepsy Emotional and Psychological Effects

A 2019 study on adolescent epilepsy experience in Singapore. The study was a quantitative research review of the effects of childhood epilepsy on internal and external problems, psychiatric diagnosis, quality of life, social skills, and academic success as compared to the participants' peers.

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