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PubMed · 12376713

Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy.

S D Lhatoo·J W A S Sander
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Abstract

Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy is the most common category of seizure-related death for patients who develop chronic epilepsy, accounting for up to 17% of epilepsy deaths. Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy is defined as a sudden, unexpected, non-accidental death in an individual with epilepsy with or without evidence of a seizure having occurred (excluding documented status epilepticus) and where autopsy does not reveal an anatomical or toxicological cause of death. Incidence rates range between 0.35 and 2.70 per 1000 person-years in the population-based studies and between 1.50 and 9.30 per 1000 person-years in selected cohorts. Seizure frequency appears to be an important factor in sudden unexpected death in epilepsy, although the exact pathogenetic mechanisms involved are unclear.

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Cause of DeathDeath, SuddenEpidemiologic StudiesEpilepsyHumansIncidenceRisk FactorsJournal ArticleReview

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S D Lhatoo, J W A S Sander. 2002. Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy.. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12376713/

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