Epilepsy’s approximate annual incidence rate is 40–70 per 100,000 in industrialized countries and 100–190 per 100,000 in resource-poor countries; socioeconomically deprived people are at higher risk. The prevalence of active epilepsy is roughly in the range 5–10 per 1000 people. Many studies have demonstrated that mortality rate is higher in people with epilepsy. The most common causes of death in these patients are trauma, pneumonia, suicide, status epilepticus and sudden unexpected death. Epilepsy is one of the most common of the serious neurological disorders. Genetic, congenital, and developmental conditions are mostly associated with it among younger patients; tumors are more likely over age 40; head trauma and central nervous system infections may occur at any age. There is no evidence of race differences in incidence and prevalence of epilepsy. It was demonstrated that nonsymptomatic epilepsy such as cryptogenic localization-related and idiopathic generalized epilepsy are more common in women while symptomatic localization-related epilepsy is more common in men.

• Epilepsy’s approximate annual incidence rate is 40–70 per 100,000 in industrialized countries and 100–190 per 100,000 in resource-poor countries; socioeconomically deprived people are at higher risk. In industrialized countries the incidence rate decreased in children but increased among the elderly during the three decades prior to 2003, for reasons not fully understood.^[1]

• The prevalence of active epilepsy is roughly in the range 5–10 per 1000 people. Up to 50 per 1000 people experience nonfebrile seizures at some point in life; epilepsy’s lifetime prevalence is relatively high because most patients either stop having seizures or (less commonly) die. ^[1]

• Many studies have demonstrated that mortality rate is higher in people with epilepsy.^[2][3] The most common causes of death in these patients are trauma, pneumonia, suicide, status epilepticus and sudden unexpected death.^[4][5][6][7]

• Epilepsy is one of the most common of the serious neurological disorders.^[8] Genetic, congenital, and developmental conditions are mostly associated with it among younger patients; tumors are more likely over age 40; head trauma and central nervous system infections may occur at any age.^[1]

• There is no evidence of race differences in incidence and prevalence of epilepsy.^[9][10]

• It was demonstrated that nonsymptomatic epilepsy such as cryptogenic localization-related and idiopathic generalized epilepsy are more common in women while symptomatic localization-related epilepsy is more common in men.^[11]