| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
|
|
|
|||||||
|
|||||||||
Departments of Neurology and Pathology (Neuropathology), University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, the Veterans Administration Hospital, Pittsburgh, and the Allegheny County Coroner's Office, Pittsburgh
Thirty-seven cases of unexpected, unexplained death in epileptic patients were recorded by the Allegheny County Coroner's Office during the years 1969 through 1973. In no case was there anatomic or chemical evidence at autopsy sufficient to explain death. All patients had a duration of epilepsy greater than a year. All but two had less than one seizure per month. Blood levels of anticonvulsants at autopsy revealed only three patients with therapeutic levels of the drugs. Almost 50 percent of the cases studied had no demonstrable anticonvulsant. It is suggested that inadequate levels of anticonvulsant drugs are a significant factor associated with unexpected, unexplained death in epileptic patients.
Received for publication October 2, 1974
Dr Terrence's address is Veterans Administration Hospital, University Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15240
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  E. M. Manno New Management Strategies in the Treatment of Status Epilepticus Mayo Clin. Proc., April 1, 2003; 78(4): 508 - 518. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M. J. Hilz, O. Devinsky, W. Doyle, A. Mauerer, and M. Dutsch Decrease of sympathetic cardiovascular modulation after temporal lobe epilepsy surgery Brain, May 1, 2002; 125(5): 985 - 995. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M Black and D I Graham Sudden unexplained death in adults caused by intracranial pathology J. Clin. Pathol., January 1, 2002; 55(1): 44 - 50. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M. J. Hennessy, M. G. Tighe, C. D. Binnie, and L. Nashef Sudden withdrawal of carbamazepine increases cardiac sympathetic activity in sleep Neurology, November 13, 2001; 57(9): 1650 - 1654. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
T.S. Walczak, I.E. Leppik, M. D'Amelio, J. Rarick, E. So, P. Ahman, K. Ruggles, G.D. Cascino, J.F. Annegers, and W.A. Hauser Incidence and risk factors in sudden unexpected death in epilepsy: A prospective cohort study Neurology, February 27, 2001; 56(4): 519 - 525. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
R. Schnabel, M. Beblo, and T. W. May Is geomagnetic activity a risk factor for sudden unexplained death in epilepsies? Neurology, February 22, 2000; 54(4): 903 - 908. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 Y Langan, L Nashef, and J W A S Sander Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy: a series of witnessed deaths J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry, February 1, 2000; 68(2): 211 - 213. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 S D Lhatoo, Y Langan, and J W A S Sander Current concepts in medicine: Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy Postgrad. Med. J., December 1, 1999; 75(890): 706 - 709. [Abstract] [Full Text]
|
|
|
|
|
|
M. J. Hennessy, Y. Langan, R. D. C. Elwes, C. D. Binnie, C. E. Polkey, and L. Nashef A study of mortality after temporal lobe epilepsy surgery Neurology, October 1, 1999; 53(6): 1276 - 1276. [Abstract] [Full Text]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 B. H. Natelson, R. V. Suarez, C. F. Terrence, and R. Turizo Patients With Epilepsy Who Die Suddenly Have Cardiac Disease Arch Neurol, June 1, 1998; 55(6): 857 - 860. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
S. M. Oppenheimer, D. F. Cechetto, and V. C. Hachinski Cerebrogenic Cardiac Arrhythmias: Cerebral Electrocardiographic Influences and Their Role in Sudden Death Arch Neurol, May 1, 1990; 47(5): 513 - 519. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
M. J. Keilson, W. A. Hauser, and J. P. Magrill Electrocardiographic Changes During Electrographic Seizures Arch Neurol, November 1, 1989; 46(11): 1169 - 1170. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
R. M. Dasheiff and L. J. Dickinson Sudden Unexpected Death of Epileptic Patient due to Cardiac Arrhythmia After Seizure Arch Neurol, February 1, 1986; 43(2): 194 - 196. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
