|
Epilepsy
A guide for patients and carers
Introduction
Written by Dr Ra’ad Shakir, Consultant Neurologist, West London neurosciences Centre, with contributions from Susan Higgins, Epilepsy Liaison Sister, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham; Dr Nizar Muhammed, Consultant Clinical Neurophysiologist, Essex Centre for Neurological Sciences; and Patricia Hewson, for their invaluable assistance with this project.
Epilepsy is a condition that affects one in every 200 people. Abnormal electrical discharges in the brain cause fits, during which the affected person may temporarily lose consciousness. The words “fit” and “seizure” mean the same thing and both words are used in this booklet. Epilepsy can start at any age, but children are more affected than adults. In about three quarters of affected people, the epilepsy develops before the age of 20. There are more than 350,000 people with epilepsy in the UK. The majority of people with epilepsy (80%) have total control of their symptoms with long-term drug treatment.
Note: Words that are printed in bold are explained in the glossary
Note: Words that are printed in bold are explained in the glossary
Page 1 of 10
Contents
- Introduction
- How do fits happen?
- What causes epilepsy?
- Are there different types of fit?
- How is epilepsy diagnosed?
- What drugs are used to treat epilepsy?
- Surgery and other treatment for epilepsy
- First aid for a person who had a fit
- How will life be affected?
- Other organisations that may be able to help
