SUDEP

Risk factors for SUDEP

Without a known cause, it is not feasible to accurately determine whether or not an individual may be predisposed to SUDEP. However, investigations of SUDEP circumstances have identified several associated, or contributory, factors that indicate some individuals are at higher risk.

The factors most consistently identified in case studies include those which are deemed unmodifiable, such as early onset of epilepsy and young adult age, and those which are deemed modifiable with the potential to lower SUDEP risk. These include, but are not limited to, frequent generalized tonic-clonic seizures, poor compliance with the anti-epileptic drug (AED) regime and the number of different types of AEDs used.

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