The risk of sudden death also increases the longer you live with epilepsy. However, unexpected death is extremely uncommon in young children.

The chance of sudden death is also higher in individuals whose seizures begin at a young age. These can cause sudden loss of consciousness, convulsions, and loss of bladder control. Tonic-clonic seizures are a severe type of epileptic seizure. While still low, the likelihood of dying from a seizure is higher in people who have a history of frequent, uncontrollable seizures, as well as those who have a history of tonic-clonic seizures (sometimes called grand mal seizures). If you’re at risk, you can take steps to help prevent a fatal seizure. What are risk factors for a fatal seizure?Īlthough rare, it’s still important to know about risk factors for SUDEP. Experts believe it’s likely that many SUDEP cases aren’t reported and so the number of SUDEP cases may be higher. Another theory is that the seizure causes a fatal disruption in heart rhythm, resulting in the heart stopping.Įach year there are 1.16 incidents of sudden death for every 1,000 people with epilepsy, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The exact cause of these deaths is unknown, yet researchers believe an extended pause in breathing leads to less oxygen in the blood and suffocation. Most, but not all, deaths occur during or right after a seizure. It refers to a death that’s sudden and unexpected. SUDEP, however, isn’t caused by injury or drowning. When you hear of someone dying from a seizure, you might assume the person fell and hit their head. The short answer is yes, but while possible, death from epilepsy is also rare. For example, can you die from an epileptic seizure? Or, can you die from a seizure in your sleep?

If you or a loved one has seizures, a number of questions might run through your mind.

Seizure in sleep