About Epilepsy
What is epilepsy?
Epilepsy is a chronic disorder, the hallmark of which is recurrent, unprovoked seizures. A person is diagnosed with epilepsy if they have two unprovoked seizures (or one unprovoked seizure with the likelihood of more) that were not caused by some known and reversible medical condition like alcohol withdrawal or extremely low blood sugar.
The seizures in epilepsy may be related to brain injury or a family tendency, but often the cause is completely unknown. The word “epilepsy” does not indicate anything about the cause of the person’s seizures or their severity.
Many people with epilepsy have more than one type of seizure and may have other symptoms of neurological problems as well. Sometimes EEG (electroencephalogram) testing, clinical history, family history, and outlook are similar among a group of people with epilepsy. In these situations, their condition can be defined as a specific epilepsy syndrome.
Although the symptoms of a seizure may affect any part of the body, the electrical events that produce the symptoms occur in the brain. The location of that event, how it spreads, how much of the brain is affected, and how long it lasts all have profound effects. These factors determine the character of the seizure and its impact on the individual.
Having a seizure and epilepsy can affect one's safety, relationships, work, driving, and so much more. Public perception and treatment of people with epilepsy are often bigger problems than actual seizures.
Stats on Epilepsy
65 Million: The number of people around the world who have epilepsy
3.4 Million: Number of people in the United States who have epilepsy
470,000: Number of children in the United States who have epilepsy
1-26: Number of people who will develop epilepsy at some point in their lifetime
Between 4 and 10 out of 1000: Number of people on earth who live with active seizures at any one time
150,000: Number of new cases of epilepsy in the United States each year
One-Third: Number of people with epilepsy that live with uncontrolled seizures because no available treatment works for them
6 out of 10: Number of people with epilepsy where the cause of unknown
SUDEP
Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP) is the sudden, unexpected death of someone with epilepsy who was otherwise healthy. In SUDEP cases, no other cause of death is found when an autopsy is done. Each year, more than 1 out of 1,000 people with epilepsy die from SUDEP. If seizures are uncontrolled, the risk of SUDEP increases to more than 1 out of 150. These sudden deaths are rare in children, but are the leading cause of death in young adults with uncontrolled seizures.
What Happens?
The person with epilepsy is often found dead in bed and doesn't appear to have had a convulsive seizure. About a third of them do show evidence of a seizure close to the time of death. They are often found lying face down. No one is sure about the cause of death in SUDEP. Some researchers think that a seizure causes an irregular heart rhythm. More recent studies have suggested that the person may suffocate from impaired breathing, fluid in the lungs, and being face down on the bedding.
Can SUDEP be Prevented?
Until further answers are available, the best way to prevent SUDEP is to lower your risk by controlling seizures. For most people living with epilepsy today, the disease can be controlled with available therapies and good seizure-management practices including the support of an epilepsy specialist. And for people with the most severe types of difficult to control epilepsy, there are steps an individual can take to lower one’s risk, including participating in research to find new, more effective therapies.
#AimForZero
The 3 million people in the United States living with epilepsy need to know about the potential deadly impact of a single seizure and how they can strive to #AimForZero seizures to reduce their risk of SUDEP.
First Aid for Seizures
When most people think of a seizure, they think of a generalized tonic-clonic seizure, also called a grand mal seizure. In this type of seizure, the person may cry out, fall, shake or jerk, and become unaware of what’s going on around them.
Here are things you can do to help someone who is having a grand mal seizure:
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Ease the person to the floor.
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Turn the person gently onto one side. This will help the person breathe.
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Clear the area around the person of anything hard or sharp. This can prevent injury.
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Put something soft and flat, like a folded jacket, under his or her head.
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Remove eyeglasses.
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Loosen ties or anything around the neck that may make it hard to breathe.
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Time the seizure. Call 911 if the seizure lasts longer than 5 minutes.
First aid for seizures involves keeping the person safe until the seizure stops by itself.
There are many types of seizures. Most seizures end in a few minutes. These are general steps to help someone who is having any type of seizure:
Stay with the person until the seizure ends and he or she is fully awake. After it ends, help the person sit in a safe place. Once they are alert and able to communicate, tell them what happened in very simple terms.
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Comfort the person and speak calmly.
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Check to see if the person is wearing or a medical bracelet or other emergency information.
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Keep yourself and other people calm.
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Offer to call a taxi or another person to make sure the person gets home safely.
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