Cardiorespiratory abnormalities during epileptic seizures

Cardiorespiratory abnormalities during epileptic seizures:
• Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is a leading cause of death in epilepsy.
• SUDEP is 20–40 times more common in epilepsy than the general population.
• Cardiac and respiratory abnormalities happen commonly during seizures.
• These abnormalities have been implicated in possibly causing SUDEP.
• Appropriate monitoring (additional electroencephalography (EEG) electrodes, assessing O2 and end-tidal CO2 levels, and electrocardiography (EKG)) of epilepsy patients during sleep studies should be done.
• This may provide additional information, which in the future may help prevent the occurrence of SUDEP in some epilepsy cases.

Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is a leading cause of death in young and otherwise healthy patients with epilepsy, and sudden death is at least 20 times more common in epilepsy patients as compared to patients without epilepsy. A significant proportion of patients with epilepsy experience cardiac and respiratory complications during seizures. These cardiorespiratory complications are suspected to be a significant risk factor for SUDEP. Sleep physicians are increasingly involved in the care of epilepsy patients and a recognition of these changes in relation to seizures while a patient is under their care may improve their awareness of these potentially life-threatening complications that may occur during sleep studies. This paper details these cardiopulmonary changes that take place in relation to epileptic seizures and how these changes may relate to the occurrence of SUDEP.