
Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions β written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Epilepsy natural history, complications and prognosis
Introduction
Overview
Overview
If left untreated, 23% to 71% of patients with a single unprovoked seizure may experience it again within 2 years. After the second unprovoked seizure, the chance of having another seizure increase to 73%. Recurrent seizures with no underlying illness emphasis on epilepsy diagnosis. Common complications of epilepsy include: Status epilepticus, sudden unexpected death, submersion Injury, dental injury, burns, fractures, head injury, soft tissue injury and motor vehicle accidents.
Natural History, Complications, and Prognosis
Natural History, Complications, and Prognosis
Natural History
- If left untreated, 23% to 71% of patients with a single unprovoked seizure may experience it again within 2 years.
- After the second unprovoked seizure, the chance of having another seizure increase to 73%.
- Recurrent seizures with no underlying illness emphasis on epilepsy diagnosis.
- In contrast to adolescent onset epilepsy syndromes most of the childhood onset epilepsy such as benign childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes will go to remission.
- There is no evidence demonstrating the effect of medical therapy on natural history of epilepsy.[1]
Complications
- Common complications of epilepsy include:
- Status epilepticus[2]
- Sudden unexpected death[3]
- Submersion Injury
- Dental injury[4]
- Burns[5]
- Fractures[6]
- Head injury
- Soft tissue injury[7]
- Motor vehicle accidents[8]
- Epileptic heart[9]
- Sudden cardiac death
References
References
- β Samuels, Martin (2017). Samuels’s Manual of neurologic therapeutics. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer Health. ISBNΒ 9781496360311.
- β Mattle, Heinrich (2017). Fundamentals of neurologyΒ : an illustrated guide. Stuttgart New York: Thieme. ISBNΒ 9783131364524.
- β Samuels, Martin (2017). Samuels’s Manual of neurologic therapeutics. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer Health. ISBNΒ 9781496360311.
- β Buck D, Baker GA, Jacoby A, Smith DF, Chadwick DW (April 1997). “Patients’ experiences of injury as a result of epilepsy”. Epilepsia. 38 (4): 439β44. PMIDΒ 9118849.
- β van den Broek M, Beghi E (January 2004). “Morbidity in patients with epilepsy: type and complications: a European cohort study”. Epilepsia. 45 (1): 71β6. PMIDΒ 14692910.
- β Pack AM, Olarte LS, Morrell MJ, Flaster E, Resor SR, Shane E (April 2003). “Bone mineral density in an outpatient population receiving enzyme-inducing antiepileptic drugs”. Epilepsy Behav. 4 (2): 169β74. PMIDΒ 12697142.
- β Beghi E, Cornaggia C (September 2002). “Morbidity and accidents in patients with epilepsy: results of a European cohort study”. Epilepsia. 43 (9): 1076β83. PMIDΒ 12199734.
- β Hansotia P, Broste SK (1993). “Epilepsy and traffic safety”. Epilepsia. 34 (5): 852β8. PMIDΒ 8404737.
- β Verrier, Richard L.; Pang, Trudy D.; Nearing, Bruce D.; Schachter, Steven C. (2020). “The Epileptic Heart: Concept and clinical evidence”. Epilepsy & Behavior. 105: 106946. doi:10.1016/j.yebeh.2020.106946. ISSNΒ 1525-5050.
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Fahimeh Shojaei, M.D.
