Epilepsy Today
Epilepsy is not as controlled as you may think
About 60% of people with epilepsy have partial-onset seizures —
Many adults with epilepsy continue to have seizures1-4
report having active epilepsy,*
according to the CDC1
Nearly
still experience seizures despite the use of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs)2
despite new AEDs coming to market,
seizure freedom rates have remained Nearly the same3†
When patients are still continuing to have seizures they are5:
6x
more likely to have depression
4x
more likely to have limitations to at least 1 usual activity
4x
more likely to require daily informal assistance
4.5x
more likely to be prevented from driving
3x
more likely to have poor health
3x
more likely to have overall limitations in life
3x
more likely to have limitations in employment or to be unemployed or unable to work
2x
more likely to have limitations in education
2x
more likely to experience stigma
Based on data that compared patients who had ≥1 seizure in the past 5 years with those who experienced no seizures in the past 5 years.
Patients with uncontrolled
seizures have an
increased
risk of SUDEP6‡
*Active epilepsy was defined as having self-reported doctor-diagnosed epilepsy, either under treatment or with seizure activity in the past 12 months.1
†Seizure freedom was defined as a patient experiencing no seizures for the previous 12 months or longer.3
‡Based on data which compared patients who had ≥1 seizure in the previous year with those who had zero seizures.
CDC=Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; SUDEP=sudden unexpected death in epilepsy.
References: 1. Zack MM, Kobau R. National and state estimates of the numbers of adults and children with active epilepsy—United States, 2015. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2017;66(31):821-825. 2. Tian N, Boring M, Kobau R, Zack MM, Croft JB. Active epilepsy and seizure control in adults—United States, 2013 and 2015. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2018;67(15):437-442. 3. Chen Z, Brodie MJ, Liew D, Kwan P. Treatment outcomes in patients with newly diagnosed epilepsy treated with established and new antiepileptic drugs: a 30-year longitudinal cohort study. JAMA Neurol. 2018;75(3):279-286. 4. Hauser WA, Annegers JF, Kurland LT. Prevalence of epilepsy in Rochester, Minnesota: 1940–1980. Epilepsia. 1991;32(4):429-445. 5. Josephson CB, Patten SB, Bulloch A, et al. The impact of seizures on epilepsy outcomes: a national, community-based survey. Epilepsia. 2017;58(5):764-771. 6. Nilsson L, Farahmand BY, Persson P-G, Thiblin I, Tomson T. Risk factors for sudden unexpected death in epilepsy: a case-control study. Lancet. 1999;353(9156):888-893.