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    What Is SUDEP?

    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 halted 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 a lot 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 modifications in the heart’s electrical status, thereby affecting its heart rhythm.

    Is SUDEP common?

    SUDEP risk is really minute for many 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's actually rare.

    A lot of people who have epilepsy actually obtain to survive a common life and do not suffer or die from SUDEP.

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

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

    For those who have epilepsy that is severe, estimates uncover 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 express 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 via the prevention of seizures. This is usually achieved via 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 susceptible to SUDEP?

    Basically, those who have refractory epilepsy (or those that have poor control of their seizures) are more susceptible 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 modifications are immediately monitored and medications are adjusted accordingly.

    Taking your medications periodically is also necessary. Also, any modifications 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 periodically 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 useful 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 sprint for those suffering from epilepsy and for those whom you know is suffering from epilepsy.

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