Epileptic seizures due to acute healt issues in elderly patients are difficult to diagnose

What is it about?

Typical age-related problems are incomplete or missing medical history, dementia, oligosymptomatic seizures, inconclusive EEG and cerebral imaging results, multiple pathological findings and comorbidity with ambiguous significance, confounding sleep disorders, intake of proconvulsive drugs, and psychogenic seizures. All diagnostic and therapeutic decisions need to be based on an integrative and individual approach that includes diagnostic findings and risk factors, the intake of medications and other agents, and the social situation of the elderly patient.

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Why is it important?

Acute symptomatic seizures and epileptic disorders are frequent health problems of elderly patients. An early and reliable distinction of the seizure etiology is important to ensure adequate treatment, and to prevent unwarranted diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.