Dead in the water: Epilepsy‐related drowning or sudden unexpected death in epilepsy?

Abstract

No distinguishable autopsy finding could be found between SUDEPs and epilepsy-related drownings when there were no drowning-related signs and no clear evidence of submersion. SUDEP could be the cause of death in such possible drowning cases. As most drowning cases occurred in the bathtub, supervision and specific bathing precautions could be effective prevention strategies.

Let’s talk SUDEP

“…The apnea induced by seizure might trigger this "oxygen preserving" mechanism, however without the control of a failing brain due to seizure and other pathological processes secondary to the seizure, this specific mechanism leads to an asystole and terminal apnea, causing SUDEP. This hypothesis is further supported by Cihan et al's findings; an autopsy study found that epilepsy related drowning and SUDEP cases were indistinguishable via autopsy (59).…”

Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy: The neuro-cardio-respiratory connection

“…As mentioned, some cases of SUDEP may be mistaken for epilepsyrelated drownings, albeit with no distinguishable autopsy finding between SUDEPs and epilepsy-related drownings, suggesting that SUDEP could be the cause of death in such possible drowning cases [5]. As most of such drowning/possible SUDEP cases occur in the bathtub, supervision and specific bathing precautions could be effective prevention strategies.…”

“…Although the definition urges that drowning cases should not be considered as SUDEP, autopsy data have suggested otherwise [5,6]. A recent review of 47 deaths of people with epilepsy including 36 definite (76.6%) and 11 possible drowning deaths (23.4%), most of which occurred in a bathtub (72.3%), and 92 cases of SUDEP, revealed no distinguishable autopsy finding between SUDEPs and epilepsy-related drownings [5]. There were no drowning-related signs and no clear evidence of submersion.…”

Odadaki görünmez fil: SUDEP yani epilepsi hastalarında ani beklenmedik ölüm

“…[29] Yapılan bir otopsi çalışması, epilepsi ile ilişkili boğulma ve SUDEP vakalarının otopsi ile ayırt edilemez olduğunu göstermiştir. [30] SUDEP: Epilepside ani beklenmedik ölüm; PGES: Postiktaljeneralize elektriksel süpresyon.…”