Is Epilepsy Dangerous?
Epilepsy can be fatal. Illness, injury, and trauma related to the condition or sudden unexplained death in epilepsy (SUDEP) can cause a person with epilepsy to die. The World Health Organization states that Epilepsy is associated with an increased risk of mortality.
This increase may be related to:
- An underlying brain disease, such as a tumour or infection
- Seizures in dangerous circumstances, leading to drowning, burns or head injury
- Status epilepticus
- Sudden and unexplained causes, or a possible respiratory or cardio-respiratory arrest during a seizure
- Suicide
- SUDEP - Sudden Unexplained Death in Epilepsy
SUDEP refers to the sudden and unexplained death of an individual with epilepsy. In these cases no other cause of death can be found despite post-mortem examination and excludes persons dying in status epilepticus. Typically it occurs in established cases between the ages of 20-40 and may account for approximately 2-17% of all deaths in the epileptic population. Seizure control appears to be a critical determinant for the risk of dying from SUDEP.
