SUDEP: Epilepsy as an Unexpected Cause of Sudden Death

One brain disorder that can affect anyone regardless of status or age is epilepsy. The disease has become a serious concern due to the growing number of people living with it. Although its symptoms are often minimal, epilepsy can cause sudden death, also known as SUDEP.

If you or someone around you has a history of epilepsy, you should know that the possibility of SUDEP, or Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy, can occur at any time. Therefore, learn what SUDEP is and how to prevent epilepsy from causing this kind of death by reading the following article!

What Is SUDEP?

According to Cure Epilepsy, SUDEP, or Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy, is a condition of sudden death in anyone who has epilepsy. SUDEP can occur even without other factors such as congenital disease, trauma, and so on.

Based on data from the same source, one in every thousand people dies from SUDEP each year. Although the number is small, this occurrence should be watched for, especially by those with a history of seizure disorders.

Most people who die from SUDEP are found in good health, usually lying face down in bed. This is supported by the fact that health workers can only identify a patient as having SUDEP after death.

Although few experts have studied epilepsy-related sudden death, several international definitions of SUDEP were set out in the journal Epilepsia in 2011. The descriptions are as follows:

• A person with epilepsy dies suddenly.
• The death is witnessed or unwitnessed.
• Death from trauma, drowning, or status epilepticus has been excluded.
• No cause of death is found during the postmortem examination.

Triggering Factors of SUDEP

According to WHO data from 2023, the cause of epilepsy remains unknown in 50% of cases globally. However, there are three main triggers you should know about, so you can help avoid this sudden death from epilepsy.

A. Changes in Breathing

Seizure symptoms can cause breathing problems. Especially if a seizure lasts a long time, the flow of oxygen in the blood is disrupted. In other words, if the airway is blocked, it can lead to suffocation.

B. Changes in Heart Rhythm

If you have difficulty breathing due to a seizure, your heart rhythm will also become irregular. However, in some cases, a seizure does not lead to a heart attack.

C. Brain Function

The brain is a vital part of the body, controlling breathing, the heart, blood flow, and other bodily functions. If you have a seizure, it can disrupt or suppress brain activity, causing dangerous changes.

Factors That Increase the Risk of SUDEP

SUDEP, or death caused by epilepsy, certainly has main triggering factors. It is important to know that epilepsy is not a contagious disease, but if you have a family history of epilepsy, you should be more mindful.

Beyond environmental factors, epilepsy is also a genetic condition. Therefore, you can better protect yourself from the following four factors to avoid an increased risk of SUDEP:

• Seizures at a young age.
• Having long-term epilepsy.
• Missing doses of epilepsy medication.
• Frequent consumption of liquor or alcohol.

Besides these four factors, you also need to pay attention to the nature of the seizures you experience. Tonic-clonic seizures generally occur about three times a year, but if they happen more often, the risk of SUDEP increases.

How to Reduce the Risk of SUDEP

Seizures in epilepsy, which can cause sudden death, are not easy to prevent. However, below are several ways to reduce the risk of SUDEP.

1. Intensive Medical Care

If you experience seizures that fall into an intensive category, such as those that may lead to epilepsy-related death, see a doctor right away. The doctor will prescribe medication and dosages according to the seizure symptoms you experience.

If seizures keep increasing or cannot be controlled with medication, surgery, therapy, and neurostimulation devices may be used. For this reason, it is best to consult a doctor to learn the next steps.

2. Avoid Seizure Triggers

Although it is not easy to identify this cause of death, you can control yourself to avoid seizure triggers. Here are some factors that can cause a person to have a seizure:

• Seizures occurring at certain times, such as during the day or at night.
• Excessive stress.
• Poor health habits, such as irregular eating patterns.
• Taking certain medications.
• Consuming caffeine, alcohol, or certain foods.

3. Learn First Aid for Seizures

Next, preventing SUDEP, a form of epilepsy-related sudden death, can begin with training a family member in first aid. Although it requires specific skills, here are some general tips you can apply to someone close to you:

• Do not leave a person who is having a seizure.
• Stay calm while with the person having a seizure.
• Keep talking, reassuring, and helping them with their breathing for 15-20 minutes.
• Remove sharp objects nearby that could injure them.
• Help them sit calmly, lower them to the floor, and loosen anything tight around the body, such as a tie or belt.
• If the seizure does not stop after five minutes, call an ambulance immediately.
• Do not put any object into the mouth, including food or water.

Now That You Know the Triggers of SUDEP, a Form of Sudden Death from Epilepsy?

SUDEP is a risk faced by people with epilepsy who have no other specific illness, and it can cause loss of consciousness. This form of epilepsy-related death is caused by damage to the brain that disrupts nerve cell activity in transmitting electrical impulses.

This means that a person who appears healthy and fit can die at any time. Common examples include a seizure while driving that causes an accident, or a seizure while swimming that leads to drowning, among others.

If something like this happens, you can contact a funeral service from Kamboja, which will help you arrange the deceased's care. Kamboja provides transportation within the DKI Jakarta area, complete Muslim funeral arrangements, and assistance with obtaining a death certificate. This way, even a sudden funeral plan can be carried out safely and comfortably. Contact Kamboja now to get other important information.