Epileptik hastanÝn tanÝk olunmuß veya olunmamÝß ani, beklenmedik bir bi•imde travma ve suda boÛulma ve status epileptikus dÝßÝ šlŸmŸ ve postmortem incelemede šlŸm nedenine a•ÝklÝk getirecek herhangi bir anatomik ve toksikolojik sebep tespit edilemediÛi durumlar epileptik hastalarda ani beklenmedik šlŸm (EHAB…) olarak deÛerlendirilmektedir.EHAB…, uzun zamandÝr bilinmekte fakat epilepsili hastalardaki artmÝß mortalite her zaman kabul edilmemektedir. 1960'lÝ yÝl-larda epilepsi hastasÝnÝn epileptik olmayan kadar uzun yaßamama-sÝna hi•bir neden olmadÝÛÝ dŸßŸnŸlmekteydi. EHAB…, hala geniß •apta kabul gšrmemekte ve bu yŸzden risk faktšrlerini belirlemeye yšnelik epidemiyolojik •alÝßmalar bu gibi engellere takÝlmakta-dÝr. Epileptik hastadaki ani šlŸm riskinin epileptik olmayan birine gšre yaklaßÝk 24 kat fazla olduÛu bildirilmektedir.EHAB…, yŸzyÝlÝn sonlarÝna doÛru bildirilmißse de bu fenomenin insidansÝ ve patofizyolojisi tam olarak henŸz anlaßÝlama-mÝßtÝr. EHAB… insidansÝ, olasÝ mekanizmalar, potansiyel risk faktšrleri ve araßtÝrma yšntemleri derlenerek Ÿlkemizdeki adli tÝp uygulamalarÝ a•ÝsÝndan konu irdelenmißtir.Anahtar Kelimeler: Epilepsi, ani beklenmedik šlŸm, adli tÝp.
SUMMARYSudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is defined as sudden, unexpected, witnessed or unwitnessed, non-traumatic and non-drowning death in patients with epilepsy, with or without evidence for a seizure and excluding documented status epilepticus, in which post-mortem examination does not reveal a toxicological or anatomical cause for death. SUDEP has long been recognised although excess mortality in epilepsy has not always been accepted. In the 1960Õs it was suggested that there is no reason why an epileptic should not live as long as one who did not have epilepsy. SUDEP's occurrence is still not widely recognised and epidemiological studies to evaluate risk factors are fraught with problems. It has been estimated that the risk of sudden death for someone with epilepsy is almost 24 times higher than for someone without epilepsy.Although SUDEP has been reported since the turn of the century, the incidence and pathophysiology of this phenomenon are not well understood. The incidence of SUDEP, possible mechanisms involved, potential risk factors and current research strategies are reviewed and examined with a perspective of forensic science practice in our country.