Risks possibly related to epilepsy or seizures include seizure-related accidental injuries, status epilepticus a seizure persisting for longer than 30 minutes , severe side effects from seizure medications, suicide, and SUDEP. Experimental evidence points to seizure-provoked heart rhythm abnormalities, breathing problems, or brain swelling during a seizure as possible causes. Different causes may operate in different individuals. A few advocate avoiding the subject to avoid alarm.
Many are willing to discuss possible mortality issues, but have insufficient time in a clinic visit to do so, given other more immediate priorities. The position of epilepsy. What can people do to minimize the chance of dying from a seizure? First, stay healthy, since good health will help you to survive whatever may happen.
Second, control your epilepsy as best you can, with lifestyle measures such as obtaining proper rest and by regularly taking all necessary medications.
Third, be aware of safety issues to minimize the risk of injury during a seizure. Photosensitive seizures can be triggered by exposure to flashing lights on screens or natural light as well as static images with contrasting….
Learn more about types of seizures, causes and symptoms, and how you can help someone having…. Learn about febrile seizures, including their symptoms, causes, and treatment options. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect.
Long-Term Prognosis for Epilepsy. Medically reviewed by Ricky Chen, M. Factors affecting prognosis Complications Studies Overview Epilepsy is a type of neurological disorder known for causing seizures. Among these include your: age health history genes severity or pattern of seizures current treatment plan. Factors affecting prognosis.
Epilepsy complications. What does the research say? Read this next. Medically reviewed by Jeanne Morrison, Ph. Are There Different Types of Epilepsy? Medically reviewed by Heidi Moawad, M.
Absence Epilepsy Petit Mal Seizures. Medically reviewed by Seunggu Han, M. These forms of epilepsy tend to begin earlier in life and are often difficult to treat. There are several options for treating epilepsy. Each individual should be evaluated by an epileptologist so the best treatment can be determined.
Treatment options include:. Epilepsy is treated with anti-epileptic drugs AEDs. Common medications include, for example, Carbamazepine, Levetiracetam, and Lamotrigine, but there are more than 20 of them on the market. Sometimes a combination of more than one medication is needed to achieve seizure control.
These side effects can negatively impact quality of life and need to be carefully evaluated and considered when making decisions about treatment. When side effects are severe, a physician may recommend the medication be discontinued.
When medications fail to treat the seizures, there are surgical options available. One option that may be considered early is removal of the part of the brain presumed to be generating the seizures. The surgical options require a complex evaluation before surgery. The workup that leads to epilepsy surgery is accomplished by a team consisting of epileptologists neurologists who specialize in treating epilepsy , neurosurgeons, neuroradiologists, neuropsychologists and specialized nurses.
It may include sophisticated brain imaging techniques and admission to the hospital for long-term electroencephalogram EEG monitoring. This is first performed with electrodes on the scalp, but in some cases may be on the brain surface or inside the brain.
This is known as invasive EEG monitoring. All these studies are done with the goal of finding the part of the brain where seizures are coming from so that part can be safely removed.
Those who are not good candidates for surgery may be evaluated for implantation of devices such as a vagus nerve stimulator, a deep brain or a responsive nerve stimulator. Some patients may benefit from specific diets, such as the ketogenic diet or modified Atkins diet.
Febrile seizures are a special category of seizures. These occur in otherwise healthy children who have a fever associated with a presumed viral infection such as roseola or the flu. The age for this type of seizure typically ranges from five months to five years, but most often ages two and three.
Children with febrile seizures do not have epilepsy, but some of them may develop it later in life.
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