title: Assessing the link between omega-3 fatty acids, cardiac arrest, and sudden unexpected death in epilepsy.
abstract: People with epilepsy may have abnormal cardiac function. This has been linked to a greater incidence of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP). In the present review, we assess the evidence linking cardiac failure to SUDEP, and propose the use of the maximal pentylenetetrazol seizure test to model SUDEP in animals to identify causal links between cardiac failure and SUDEP. We also discuss recent claims on the use of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids to reduce the incidence of SUDEP because of their cardioprotective and anticonvulsant effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada. a.taha@utoronto.ca
authors.forename: Ameer Y
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Taha
authors.forename: Flaviu A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Ciobanu
authors.forename: Anjali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saxena
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: McIntyre Burnham
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D003292:Convulsants; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D010433:Pentylenetetrazole; D012640:Seizures / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D003292:Convulsants; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D010433:Pentylenetetrazole