Version 1
: Received: 8 December 2023 / Approved: 8 December 2023 / Online: 8 December 2023 (17:03:46 CET)
Version 2
: Received: 10 February 2024 / Approved: 11 February 2024 / Online: 12 February 2024 (11:09:13 CET)
How to cite:
Isufi, A.; Desai, D.; Malafi, M.E. Safeguarding Lives: SUDEP Awareness and Empathetic Discussions in Epilepsy Management. Preprints2023, 2023120622. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202312.0622.v2
Isufi, A.; Desai, D.; Malafi, M.E. Safeguarding Lives: SUDEP Awareness and Empathetic Discussions in Epilepsy Management. Preprints 2023, 2023120622. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202312.0622.v2
Isufi, A.; Desai, D.; Malafi, M.E. Safeguarding Lives: SUDEP Awareness and Empathetic Discussions in Epilepsy Management. Preprints2023, 2023120622. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202312.0622.v2
APA Style
Isufi, A., Desai, D., & Malafi, M.E. (2024). Safeguarding Lives: SUDEP Awareness and Empathetic Discussions in Epilepsy Management. Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202312.0622.v2
Chicago/Turabian Style
Isufi, A., Dev Desai and Maria Eleni Malafi. 2024 "Safeguarding Lives: SUDEP Awareness and Empathetic Discussions in Epilepsy Management" Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202312.0622.v2
Abstract
SUDEP is a sudden death in a person with epilepsy, without evidence of a seizure before death. While its cause is still unclear, various factors have been linked to seizure onset and cardiopulmonary function. Studies have shown that although 91.3% of epilepsy patients want information on premature death, only 31% of them receive it. The numbers emphasize the need for open and sensitive communication by medical professionals. It is important to choose the appropriate moment for the conversation, avoiding periods of stress and ensuring emotional stability in the patient, as well as clear, appropriate and easy to comprehend information about SUDEP. To facilitate this, knowing the patient's level of knowledge is essential. Education on the warning signs of seizures and SUDEP can help take precautions and can decrease the incidence of the phenomenon itself. Effective epilepsy care requires a comprehensive plan, including medication adherence and lifestyle changes. Regular communication and collaboration between the patient, caregiver and health professionals are essential for the effective management of epilepsy, so just as epilepsy has a fluid, changeable course of disease and follow-up appointments are very important, the topic of SUDEP is not a one-time conversation either.
Keywords
Epilepsy; Awareness; Prevention; SUDEP
Subject
Medicine and Pharmacology, Neuroscience and Neurology
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
