Living With Epilepsy

What Is SUDEP?

First things first, SUDEP basically means sudden unexpected death in epilepsy.  SUDEP is used as a term when a particular person who has epilepsy dies suddenly and the cause of death is unknown.   

The cause is clearly neither pathological nor clinical.  There have been cases wherein epileptic patients have been found lying on bed (no longer breathing and it seems their breathing stopped during their sleep) and with no seizure seen to have occurred.   

This is where the sudden death comes from as an otherwise healthy person suddenly dies. 

This is when the death is not caused by an injury, drowning, after a seizure or a severe and prolonged seizure. 

The causes of SUDEP 

Believe it or not, the real cause of SUDEP is not specifically known.  If ever a post exam mortem is made on a particular person who has died of SUDEP, there is really no abnormal cause that could be seen that could account for such a person’s death. 

There are actually many theories on why someone who has epilepsy may suddenly die.  One such theory is that seizures could have affected a part of a person’s brain that controls breathing and the heart functions.  When a seizure happens, these functions stop.   

Another cause of SUDEP is cardiac arrest that is irreversible.  One theory suggests that electric discharge from the brain could cause changes in the heart’s electrical status, thereby affecting its heart rhythm. 

Is SUDEP common? 

SUDEP risk is really small for a lot of people who has epilepsy.  In the United Kingdom alone, there have been five hundred SUDEP deaths. 

However, compare such a number to those people who actually have epilepsy, and it is actually rare. 

A lot of people who have epilepsy actually get to live a normal life and do not suffer or die from SUDEP. 

The fact of the matter is that most people who die of SUDEP have had seizures that are generalized tonic clonic in nature, especially for those young adults. 

One of the major factors that bring the risk of SUDEP is one’s poor control over the seizures and those seizures that occur when one sleeps. 

For those who have epilepsy that is severe, estimates reveal that one person out of two hundred die and suffer from SUDEP every year. 

However, for those who have epilepsy that is idiopathically mild, estimates show that one person in a thousand die and suffer from SUDEP annually. 

Can SUDEP risk be lessened? 

Having epilepsy-induced death could be considerably lessened through the prevention of seizures.  This is usually achieved through medication.   

For some people suffering from epilepsy, surgery is actually used in order to prevent any seizures during the instance when taking medication is not successful. 

There are cases that seizures were not fully stopped.   

Who are more prone to SUDEP? 

Basically, those who have refractory epilepsy (or those that have poor control of their seizures) are more prone to SUDEP.   

Also, those patients who are quite young and have a history of tonic generalized clonic seizures.  This also includes those having a history of epilepsy for two years. 

Those who take two anti epilepsy drugs, especially if combined with agents that are psychiatric in nature.     

People who comply poorly with medications that are anti-epileptic.   

People who abuse alcohol. 

People who are alone when a seizure happens. 

Is SUDEP preventable? 

As much as possible, keeping appointments with your doctor is necessary.  This is so that any changes are instantly monitored and medications are adjusted accordingly. 

Taking your medications regularly is also necessary.  Also, any changes in dosage or immediate withdrawal from a particular drug must be avoided. 

A healthy lifestyle should also be adopted.  Adequate and regular sleeping patterns must be maintained and regular exercise is necessary.  Eating nutritious food regularly is also vital.   

Being able to cope with stress also helps in keeping seizures to a minimum.   

Avoiding street drugs and alcohol is also necessary.   

It is also helpful if the company you keep knows what to do during your seizures.   

All in all, SUDEP is preventable as long as you make it so.  As much as possible, prevention is always better than a pound of cure.  It saves time, effort and stress in the long run for those suffering from epilepsy and for those whom you know is suffering from epilepsy.

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Epilepsy News:

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FDA probes suicide link to epilepsy drugs - Mental health- msnbc.com
The Food and Drug Administration has begun a preliminary inquiry into whether epilepsy drugs might increase the risk of suicidal behavior in some patients.
Push to prevent epilepsy after brain injury - More health news- msnbc ...
Survivors of traumatic brain injuries ? from car-crash victims to soldiers wounded in Iraq ? face an extra hurdle as they recover: Thousands of them will develop epilepsy ...
Epilepsy patients advised to try newer treatments - More health news ...
The number of drugs approved to treat epilepsy has doubled in the past decade, offering long-needed alternatives to some patients. But too few doctors know how to best use the new ...
Epilepsy drug shown to reverse obesity in rats - Diet and nutrition ...
An epilepsy drug being tested for use in treating addiction can help obese rats shed weight, government researchers said on Wednesday.
FDA strengthens epilepsy drug warnings - Health care- msnbc.com
The FDA Wednesday strengthened warnings on certain drugs used to treat epilepsy, bipolar disorder and nerve pain.

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epilepsy - Google News
epilepsy - Google News

Removing Part Of Brain Controls Girl's Epilepsy - Science Daily (press releas...

Removing Part Of Brain Controls Girl's Epilepsy
Science Daily (press release) - 5 hours ago
She has come a long way from the time when she was heavily medicated and lethargic, and has even become a spokesperson for the Epilepsy Foundation's ...
Cyberonics Reports Strong Sales Growth and Profitability in Fiscal ... - Mark...

Cyberonics Reports Strong Sales Growth and Profitability in Fiscal ...
MarketWatch - 21 hours ago
Net sales of $36.0 million, a 24% increase from $28.9 million, -- Net US product sales attributable to the epilepsy indication increased by an estimated 32% ...
Cyberonics Swings To Q2 Profit On Top Line Growth; Lifts FY09 ... RTT News
all 458 news articles
November Is National Epilepsy Awareness Month - Kansas City infoZine

November Is National Epilepsy Awareness Month
Kansas City infoZine, MO - 9 hours ago
Jefferson City, MO - infoZine - Missourians made more visits to emergency room hospitals for epilepsy in 2006 compared to 2000, and educating people about ...
U.Va.'s Dr. Jaideep Kapur Named Vice President of American ... - University o...

U.Va.'s Dr. Jaideep Kapur Named Vice President of American ...
University of Virginia, VA - 14 hours ago
Internationally recognized for his research in epilepsy, Kapur's laboratory is concerned with understanding the mechanisms underlying status epilepticus, ...
Gene Associated With Epilepsy Discovered - Science Daily (press release)

Gene Associated With Epilepsy Discovered
Science Daily (press release) - Nov 18, 2008
18, 2008) ? A University of Iowa-led international research team has found a new gene associated with the brain disorder epilepsy. While the PRICKLE1 gene ...

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Yahoo! News Search Results for epilepsy
Yahoo! News Search Results for epilepsy

Removing Part Of Brain Controls Girl's Epilepsy (Science Daily)
Surgeons told Jessica Nelson one of the scariest things she will ever hear as a parent: they wanted to treat her daughter's epilepsy by cutting out or disconnecting half of her brain. Then something extraordinary happened: it worked.
International Team Finds Gene Associated With Epilepsy (Medical News Today)
A University of Iowa-led international research team has found a new gene associated with the brain disorder epilepsy. While the PRICKLE1 gene mutation was specific to a rare form of epilepsy, the study results could help lead to new ideas for overall epilepsy treatment. The findings, which involved nearly two dozen institutions from six different countries, appear in the Nov.
Epilepsy Foundation (KAMR Amarillo)
A local non-profit association has now become a national chapter. The High Plains Epilepsy Association has been in West Texas for over 30 years. They serve 79 counties in the panhandle. And today they are being named the newest chapter of the Epilepsy Foundation of America.
Discovery of new gene linked to epilepsy (News-Medical-Net)
A University of Iowa-led international research team has found a new gene associated with the brain disorder epilepsy.
November Is National Epilepsy Awareness Month (Kansas City InfoZine)
Condition is most often managed with prescription medications

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