SUDDEN UNEXPECTED DEATH in EPILEPSY

Abstract

The term sudden unexpected death in epilepsy, regardless of the existing recorded attacks, represents a sudden, unexpected, witnessed or unwitnessed death in patients with epilepsy, which did not occur as a direct result of some trauma or drowning. As it is clear by definition that the cause of death is not obvious, it is not surprising that this entity is becoming increasingly important in modern forensics. In the creation of this conclusions a forensic expert mainly uses heteroanamnestic data, some typical injuries and toxicological examination. In forensic practice, the death of a patient suffering from epilepsy can occur during daily activities (such as driving or diving), which emphasizes the role of forensic medicine experts in such cases. Therefore, we conducted a literature review on the topic of sudden and unexpected death in epilepsy, defined terms, and showed the current hypotheses about the mechanism of death, and the role of modern therapeutic approaches. In particular, we review the possible forensic implications and the importance of conducting autopsies.