Epilepsy

Epilepsy (convulsive disorder) is a clinical disorder involving impairment of consciousness, characterized by paroxysmal attacks of loss of consciousness associated with clinical abnormalities noted on brain wave testing (EEG), convulsive movements, or disturbances of feeling or behavior. These transient episodes (seizures) are associated with excessive nerve cell discharges occurring diffusely or focally in the brain. The sites of the neuronal discharges determine the clinical manifestations of the seizure.

About 1% of the general population has epilepsy, three-fourths of whom develop it before the age of twenty-one. It is estimated that about one-half of the epileptic population in California is undiagnosed or unrecognized. Of the diagnosed epileptics, about 80% will have a good control of seizures through medication; another 10% will obtain fair medical control; and the remaining 10% will be poorly controlled or intractable.
The major types of seizures include grand mal seizures, focal (frontal, parietal, or occipital lobe) seizures, temporal lobe (psychomotor) seizures, and minor (petit mal, myoclonic, akinetic) seizures. About 3% of all children may have benign febrile convulsions.

Epilepsy is diagnosed by a physician following a neurological evaluation. Frequently an EEG is ordered to determine the type and degree of brain wave abnormality. If a person with epilepsy is placed on medication to control the seizure activity, blood levels are requested periodically to determine the level of the medication in the body.