Epilepsy
What is Epilepsy?
Epilepsy is a brain disorder in which a person has repeated seizures over time.
Who gets Epilepsy?
Epilepsy can develop in any person at any age, but is most common in younger and older people.
Is Epilepsy contagious?
No, it is not contagious and it is not passed down through generations of families. However, people with close relatives that have Epilepsy have a slight higher risk of getting it than people's families that have no record of Epilepsy.
What do you do to treat Epilepsy?
- Doctors can order an EEG test to measure the electrical activity in the brain to help determine a diagnosis.
- Doctors may also do a CT scan or an MRI to help diagnose the condition.
- If epilepsy is the diagnosis, a doctor might provide a medication to help control the seizures.
- Doctors can also implant a vagus nerve stimulator that sends signals through the nervous system to help control seizures.
- Doctors can also recommend a special diet that works with the medication to help control the seizures.
Another Fact about Epilepsy:
- Most people with epilepsy live long and healthy lives. But, you might be surprised to learn that some people die from epilepsy, and not just from obvious causes such as accidents. There are times when people with epilepsy die without warning and no cause is found. This is known as Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy or SUDEP.
More about SUDEP:
- It's estimated that about one in 1,000 people with epilepsy die from SUDEP each year.
- The cause of SUDEP is unknown but it happens at night or during sleep.
- The highest risk of SUDEP is having lots of seizures. The more seizures there are, the higher the risk of SUDEP
To learn more about Epilepsy, visit www.epilepsy.com