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Consequences of Epilepsy: Why do We Treat Seizures?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 September 2015

Michael W. Jones
Michael W. Jones*
Affiliation:
Division of Neurology, Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver
*
Division of Neurology, Vancouver General Hospital, 2775 Heather Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V5Z 1M9
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Abstract:

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Improving health-related quality of life in epileptic patients, rather than simply reducing seizures, has become the principal goal in epilepsy management. Reducing seizure frequency is one of the main factors contributing to improved quality of life. Evidence for and risk of the following potential adverse effects of seizures is reviewed: brain damage from seizures, sudden unexpected death, status epilepticus, kindling, falls or injury and psychosocial consequences. Although the evidence for seizure frequency influencing some of these factors is not clear-cut, as a whole, they offer a strong impetus toward an aggressive approach to controlling recurrent seizures in most cases.

Type
Research Article
Information
Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences , Volume 25 , Issue S4 , November 1998 , pp. S24 - S26
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Neurological Sciences Federation 1998

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