Epilepsy Related Conditions

Epilepsy Related Conditions | March 13, 2010

In chronic conditions, such as epilepsy, the coexistence of more than one illness in a patient is the rule rather than the exception…

Men and women with epilepsy have a two-to five-fold increase in the occurrence of conditions, such as migraine, cerebrovascular and cardiovascular disorders, along with gastrointestinal disorders, pulmonary disorders, dementia, chronic fatigue, mood disorders, anxiety, and personality disorders.

The type and prevalence of conditions is largely age dependent. For example, among epilepsy patients, asthma is common among the young, while cardiovascular diseases and stroke are prevalent in older individuals—but both occur more frequently than in the general population.

Below is a sampling of some of the conditions which are related (but not necessarily caused) by epilepsy…

Epilepsy and Heart Disease

The neural activity that accompanies seizures has long been known to affect cardiac functioning. But in patients with nonconvulsive types of epilepsy, these secondary symptoms may be misread as the primary illness.

Five specific cardiac problems have been linked to epilepsy: irregular heartbeat, anginal chest pain, pulmonary edema, symptoms of a tumor linked to hypertension — and sudden death. This is because the areas of the brain affected by epileptic episodes are linked to the hypothalamus, the section of the brain that affects the autonomic nervous system.

People with epilepsy are two to three times more likely to suffer sudden death than the general population. Up to 30% of those deaths cannot be explained. Doctors suspect epilepsy-related cardiac troubles as a major cause due to death of the muscular tissues in the heart.

Diabetes

A diabetic seizure occurs as a result of a burst of simultaneous, contradictory signals from brain cells. There are many causes of seizures including head trauma, fever, illness. Hyperglycemia (high blood glucose) and hypoglycemia (low blood glucose) both can cause seizure, convulsion, coma, and even death.

People with the tendency to have seizures are more likely to have one triggered by fluctuations in blood glucose levels. Persons with hyperglycemia tend to have focal or local seizures, whereas those who are hypoglycemic, tend to have tonic-clonic seizures, also called a hypoglycemic-induced seizure.

Infection

A seizure complication of infection can consist of a single seizure or can go on to become a chronic epilepsy. Seizures can arise as an acute, subacute, or long-term consequence of an infectious state. The type of epileptic complication and when it arises depends on the nature of the infectious illness, its duration, plus the type and extent of damage to the central nervous system.

Inflammatory Disorders

Inflammatory disorders are characterized by their systemic effects. The immune response to these illnesses may cause dysfunction in tissues other than the typically affected organs.

When the central nervous system is involved, a wide range of neurologic symptoms occurs, including epileptic seizures as well as headaches, confusion, and coma. Seizures or other neurologic abnormalities sometimes may be the initial or even the only manifestation of a systemic inflammatory disorder.

Migraines

These headaches, with no identifiable underlying cause includes migraines as well as tension-type headaches, cluster headaches and a number of rare disorders. It is analogous to idiopathic epilepsy and individuals with one disorder are at least twice as likely to have the other.

Sleep Disorders

Sleep disorders are common, treatable conditions that frequently coexist with epilepsy. Understanding the relationship between epilepsy and sleep disorders is important for optimum results.

Treatment of a coexisting sleep disorder may improve seizure control, daytime alertness, or both. However, sleep disorders such as sleepwalking, nocturnal panic disorder, excessive daytime sleepiness, may actually mimic epileptic seizures.

What is Your Disorder?

You may, yourself, suffer from an epilepsy related condition. The names and numbers of these illnesses are vast. If there’s something I’ve omitted which you would like to include, please, feel free to chime in!

Resources:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2096724/

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0876/is_n57/ai_10511909/

http://professionals.epilepsy.com/homepage/index.html

http://www.dlife.com/dLife/do/ShowContent/inspiration_expert_advice/expert_columns/garnero_0605.html

http://www.isletsofhope.com/diabetes/complications/seizures_1.html#seizure

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Posted in Epilepsy
Tags: epilepsy related conditions, heart disease, infection, inflammatory disorders, migraines, sleep disorders

9 Comments »

Hi Phylis, you left out Diabetes.

Diabetes and Epilepsy have the same seizures. When I have a seizure, I do not know if it is a diabetes seizure or an epilepsy seizure. They both have the same types of seizures.

http://www.isletsofhope.com/diabetes/complications/seizures_1.html

Comment by Ruth Brown — March 13, 2010 @ 9:15 AMMar +00:00Mar

Reply
Sorry Ruth,

All fixed!

Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — March 13, 2010 @ 9:15 PMMar +00:00Mar

Reply
I live with a chronic migraine, depression, and sleep apnea along with epilepsy. Although many conditions can be difficult to live with, I have found that my migraine can warn me of an oncoming seizure.

Comment by Craig — September 16, 2011 @ 9:15 PMSep +00:00Sep

Reply
Perhaps the migraine is your “aura.” Although it’s not one I would choose!

Take a look at: Epilepsy & Migraines — Kissing Cousins

http://epilepsytalk.com/2010/09/12/epilepsy-migraines-kissing-cousins/

Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — September 16, 2011 @ 9:15 PMSep +00:00Sep

Reply
I had a sleep disorder and chronic headache. but I think Psychiatric disorders should have been given more emphasis in epilepsy coz they arise both as a part of the disease and as treatment complications.

Comment by Negeo Tesfaye — December 14, 2011 @ 9:15 PMDec +00:00Dec

Reply
I couldn’t agree more.

One study stated that 80% of the patients with epilepsy were also diagnosed as having a depressive disorder. Upwards of 60% of these individuals had a history of significant episodes of depression. And 10-32% experience symptoms of anxiety. Not too reassuring, is it?

And many of the medications used to treat seizure disorders can trigger depression. Dilantin, Phenobarbatol, Celonton and Tegretol are all notorious for this side effect.

Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — December 14, 2011 @ 9:15 PMDec +00:00Dec

Reply
Ive had epilepsy since 1985 no reason for them ! I think its from agent orange but they the va wont admit or even talk about it ! ive been on most if not all meds at one time or other i take tegretol now and locosimide that does not work and makes me dizzy so there taking me off i have a vns and it works the best at stopping them but not completly i have at least 1to two a wk if not more its coming to me just giving up on it i cant drive so my wife has to take me every where or i just dont go !!

Comment by michael campbell — December 15, 2011 @ 9:15 PMDec +00:00Dec

Reply
- Here’s some research from Vets News:
  
  “Additional information about Agent Orange and VA’s services and programs for Veterans exposed to the chemical are available at: http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange US Military “Focusing On Epilepsy.” In a story on epilepsy research, the CBS News (10/25) website noted, “Some of the people most at risk are those who have sustained head injuries, which is why” the US military is “focusing on epilepsy.
  
  There are thousands of veterans with traumatic brain injuries from fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, who we know from other wars, have up to a 50 percent chance of developing epilepsy.” CBS added that the “military is already treating soldiers with severe brain injuries in the field with anti-seizure medications to try to prevent seizures during the early stages of recovery.”
  
  http://www.vetsenews.com/200911-articles/VA-Extends-Agent-Orange-Benefits.html
  
  This from the Agent Orange Legacy Blog:
  
  “People with psychogenic seizures are often diagnosed with epilepsy and given drugs to treat epilepsy that do not help and can have serious side effects,” said study author Martin Salinsky, MD, of the Portland VA Medical Center and Oregon Health and Sciences University, and a member of the American Academy of Neurology. “The two types of seizures can be similar in appearance and diagnosis can be difficult.”
  
  The study found that it took an average of five years from the time that symptoms started for veterans to be diagnosed with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures, compared to about one year for civilians. Nearly 60 percent of the veterans were thought to have seizures related to traumatic brain injury.
  
  Salinsky said that the reasons for the delay in diagnosis are not known but could be due to the limited number of epilepsy monitoring units in VA medical centers across the country. He noted that 18 of the 50 veterans with non-epileptic seizures came to Oregon from states where an epilepsy monitoring unit was not available. This has recently been addressed by the creation of VA Epilepsy Centers of Excellence. He also said that there may be a tendency to accept the diagnosis of epilepsy in veterans due to the relatively high rates of traumatic brain injury, which can lead to epilepsy.”
  
  http://agentorangelegacy.blogspot.com/2011/09/veterans-at-risk-non-epileptic-seizures.html
  
  Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — December 15, 2011 @ 9:15 PMDec +00:00Dec
  
  Reply
Michael,

I think you ought to look into the “VA Epilepsy Centers of Excellence” which probably weren’t in existence at that time.

This link may (or may not) help:

http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange/

Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — December 15, 2011 @ 9:15 PMDec +00:00Dec

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Hi Phylis, you left out Diabetes.

Diabetes and Epilepsy have the same seizures. When I have a seizure, I do not know if it is a diabetes seizure or an epilepsy seizure. They both have the same types of seizures.

http://www.isletsofhope.com/diabetes/complications/seizures_1.html

Comment by Ruth Brown — March 13, 2010 @ 9:15 AMMar +00:00Mar

Sorry Ruth,

All fixed!

Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — March 13, 2010 @ 9:15 PMMar +00:00Mar

I live with a chronic migraine, depression, and sleep apnea along with epilepsy. Although many conditions can be difficult to live with, I have found that my migraine can warn me of an oncoming seizure.

Comment by Craig — September 16, 2011 @ 9:15 PMSep +00:00Sep

Perhaps the migraine is your “aura.” Although it’s not one I would choose!

Take a look at: Epilepsy & Migraines — Kissing Cousins

http://epilepsytalk.com/2010/09/12/epilepsy-migraines-kissing-cousins/

Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — September 16, 2011 @ 9:15 PMSep +00:00Sep

I had a sleep disorder and chronic headache. but I think Psychiatric disorders should have been given more emphasis in epilepsy coz they arise both as a part of the disease and as treatment complications.

Comment by Negeo Tesfaye — December 14, 2011 @ 9:15 PMDec +00:00Dec

I couldn’t agree more.

One study stated that 80% of the patients with epilepsy were also diagnosed as having a depressive disorder. Upwards of 60% of these individuals had a history of significant episodes of depression. And 10-32% experience symptoms of anxiety. Not too reassuring, is it?

And many of the medications used to treat seizure disorders can trigger depression. Dilantin, Phenobarbatol, Celonton and Tegretol are all notorious for this side effect.

Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — December 14, 2011 @ 9:15 PMDec +00:00Dec

Ive had epilepsy since 1985 no reason for them ! I think its from agent orange but they the va wont admit or even talk about it ! ive been on most if not all meds at one time or other i take tegretol now and locosimide that does not work and makes me dizzy so there taking me off i have a vns and it works the best at stopping them but not completly i have at least 1to two a wk if not more its coming to me just giving up on it i cant drive so my wife has to take me every where or i just dont go !!

Comment by michael campbell — December 15, 2011 @ 9:15 PMDec +00:00Dec

Here’s some research from Vets News:

“Additional information about Agent Orange and VA’s services and programs for Veterans exposed to the chemical are available at: http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange US Military “Focusing On Epilepsy.” In a story on epilepsy research, the CBS News (10/25) website noted, “Some of the people most at risk are those who have sustained head injuries, which is why” the US military is “focusing on epilepsy.

There are thousands of veterans with traumatic brain injuries from fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, who we know from other wars, have up to a 50 percent chance of developing epilepsy.” CBS added that the “military is already treating soldiers with severe brain injuries in the field with anti-seizure medications to try to prevent seizures during the early stages of recovery.”

http://www.vetsenews.com/200911-articles/VA-Extends-Agent-Orange-Benefits.html

This from the Agent Orange Legacy Blog:

“People with psychogenic seizures are often diagnosed with epilepsy and given drugs to treat epilepsy that do not help and can have serious side effects,” said study author Martin Salinsky, MD, of the Portland VA Medical Center and Oregon Health and Sciences University, and a member of the American Academy of Neurology. “The two types of seizures can be similar in appearance and diagnosis can be difficult.”

The study found that it took an average of five years from the time that symptoms started for veterans to be diagnosed with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures, compared to about one year for civilians. Nearly 60 percent of the veterans were thought to have seizures related to traumatic brain injury.

Salinsky said that the reasons for the delay in diagnosis are not known but could be due to the limited number of epilepsy monitoring units in VA medical centers across the country. He noted that 18 of the 50 veterans with non-epileptic seizures came to Oregon from states where an epilepsy monitoring unit was not available. This has recently been addressed by the creation of VA Epilepsy Centers of Excellence. He also said that there may be a tendency to accept the diagnosis of epilepsy in veterans due to the relatively high rates of traumatic brain injury, which can lead to epilepsy.”

http://agentorangelegacy.blogspot.com/2011/09/veterans-at-risk-non-epileptic-seizures.html

Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — December 15, 2011 @ 9:15 PMDec +00:00Dec

Michael,

I think you ought to look into the “VA Epilepsy Centers of Excellence” which probably weren’t in existence at that time.

This link may (or may not) help:

http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange/

Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — December 15, 2011 @ 9:15 PMDec +00:00Dec

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