MADRID, May 23: Up to 10% of the population will have an epileptic seizure in their lifetime, but only 3% will be diagnosed with epilepsy, according to the Spanish Society of Neurology (SEN) on the occasion of May 23 World Day. takes guesses. ,
To avoid these errors, according to Juan José Poza, coordinator of the SEN Epilepsy Study Group, the Society of Neurology emphasizes the need to perform diagnostic tests on all patients suspected of suffering from the disease, “primarily Monitoring with the first electroencephalogram steps in to correct treatment and in the first hours after the onset of the crisis”.
SEN calls for the implementation in the national territory of a ‘crisis code’ similar to the ‘stroke code’ to reduce the morbidity and mortality of epileptic seizures that require prompt action and diagnosis by trained personnel. “Early and accurate” medical diagnosis is required. management.
The SEN coordinator explains that any neurological episode resulting from excessive electrical activity of the neurons of the brain is called an epileptic seizure and clarifies that “a person suffers from epilepsy when he has two or more seizures.”
In Spain, more than 400,000 people suffer from epilepsy, of which 100,000 are children, the most frequent neurological disease in the child population and the third in adults, with 20,000 new cases every year, mainly in children and over 65 Years of age in more people..
Poza recalled that epileptic seizures are a frequent cause of admission to emergency services and account for up to 3% of annual admissions.
In fact, epilepsy is the second reason for neurological care in hospital emergencies, after stroke.
According to this expert, more than 30 types of epileptic seizures have been classified, which range from brief changes in movement, memory, and senses to changes in the level of consciousness accompanied by disconnection from the environment, muscle contractions, or prolonged and severe convulsions. Can be up to
This society states that there are two types of epileptic seizures: generalized, affecting the entire cerebral cortex, and partial, or focal, affecting a specific group of neurons in the brain.
In recent decades, the possibilities of treating the disease have greatly increased, both in the number of antiepileptic drugs available, which allow 70% of patients to control their seizures, and in surgical treatment, which gives 5% benefit.
On this World Day, SEN wants to show that epilepsy is a disease with stigma and is confirmed by 50% of patients, with a reduction in life expectancy of between two and ten years and a doubling of mortality. general population.
Furthermore, 60% of patients associate the disease with co-morbidities such as psychiatric, neurological and intellectual disorders. EF
