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Chapter 6 - Mortality and Morbidity of Medication-Resistant Epilepsy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 August 2020

By
Nuria Lacuey  and
Samden D. Lhatoo
Edited by
John M. Stern ,
Raman Sankar  and
Michael Sperling
John M. Stern
Affiliation:
Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA
Raman Sankar
Affiliation:
Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA
Michael Sperling
Affiliation:
Jefferson Hospital for Neurosciences, Philadelphia, PA
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Summary

There is significant mortality and morbidity associated with medication-resistant epilepsy, with attendant major impact on physical, psychological, emotional, socioeconomic and other aspects of the lives of persons with epilepsy and their families. Emphasis on these issues is an imperative that is often underappreciated or overlooked, with subsequent far-reaching consequences that may be avoidable. Young adults with active epilepsy from low socioeconomic groups are more likely to die prematurely, and important contributors to mortality include comorbid disorders, such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer and unintentional injuries [1]. Notably, deaths from direct epilepsy-related causes occur in about 10% of cases, but are likely to be underestimated [2]. In this chapter, we examine the risks, types, impact and governing factors of mortality and morbidity in the population of persons with intractable epilepsy. We also discuss the commonest category of death in the intractable population – sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP).

Type
Chapter
Information
Medication-Resistant Epilepsy
Diagnosis and Treatment
 , pp. 39 - 50
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2020

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