title: Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy.
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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Institute of Clinical Neurosciences, Frenchay Hospital, Bristol, BS6 7AB, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Lhatoo
authors.forename: J W A S
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Sander
mesh_terms: D002423:Cause of Death; D003645:Death, Sudden / Q000209:etiology*; D016021:Epidemiologic Studies; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D012307:Risk Factors