 |
 |
What
is Epilepsy? |
Epilepsy is a condition in which someone has unprovoked seizures at two or more separate times in their life. | |
|
A seizure is an abnormal electrical discharge within the brain resulting in involuntary change in movement, sensation, perception, behavior, and/or level of a consciousness. | |
|
In industrialized countries, between one and two percent of the population have epilepsy. In the United States between 2.5 million and 5 million people have epilepsy. | |
|
In non-industrialized countries the rate of incidence is as high as ten percent. | |
|
Ninety percent of those with epilepsy have normal IQ's. | |
|
At least sixty percent do no have their seizures completely controlled. | |
|
Mortality from epilepsy is between 20,000 and 40,000 yearly (this rivals AIDS, or breast cancer, or auto deats). | |
|
Causes of epilepsy include head injury, tumor, stroke, infection, genetics, and many cases (70% have no known cause). | |
|
Treatments include medications, surgery, ketogenic diet, and Vagus nerve stimulation via an implanted device. | |
|
Epilepsy affects more Americans than Muscular Dystrophy, Multiple Sclerosis, AIDS and HIV combined. | |
|
Epilepsy is still a "hidden disease." To date few of those who suffer from it are advocates. | |
|
For over half of those with epilepsy, drugs do not control their seizures. For many more, drugs are not the ideal solution because of side effects or other limitations. | |
|
Surgery is an appropriate treatment for very few, so with the side effects and inefficiency of drugs, we need other choices for treatment. | |
|
The socioeconomic and psychological factors can negatively impact quality of life as much or more than the seizures themselves. | |
|
Many people with epilepsy are unemployed or sub-employed as a result of the unpredictability of seizures and/or effects of medication. | |
|
The unpredictability of seizures, which last seconds, leads to a lifetime of potential disability. | |
|
The financial impact of this disorder (both direct and indirect) on the individuals, families and society is difficult to total but is estimated at $12.5 billion annually in the U.S. alone. It includes medical expenses, drugs, lost income and productivity from unemployment and sub-employment, social services, and much more. | |
|
There are as many as three million with epilepsy in the U.S. and 60 million worldwide Epilepsy truly lacks a voice. | |
Home |