Seizure Breakthrough: Identifying Signs, Underlying Causes, and Possible Prevention Strategies
Breakthrough Seizures in Epilepsy: Understanding the Causes, Symptoms, and Prevention
Breakthrough seizures are a challenging aspect of living with epilepsy, occurring despite ongoing treatment and a period of seizure control. These seizures can be disconcerting for individuals and their families, but understanding their causes and prevention methods can help manage the condition more effectively.
Common Causes of Breakthrough Seizures
The leading cause of breakthrough seizures is missing or irregular medication doses. Other factors include sleep deprivation, stress or anxiety, hormonal changes, alcohol or substance use, fever or illness, and exposure to seizure triggers such as flashing lights or visual stimuli.
Symptoms of Breakthrough Seizures
Breakthrough seizures can vary depending on the seizure type, but they commonly include sudden uncontrolled movements (convulsions), altered awareness or loss of consciousness, behavioral changes during episodes, post-seizure confusion or fatigue, and symptoms that differ based on the brain areas involved.
Preventing Breakthrough Seizures
Prevention focuses on identifying and managing these triggers alongside consistent medication adherence and medical care. Strict adherence to prescribed anti-seizure medications, managing stress, ensuring adequate sleep, avoiding known seizure triggers, regular medical follow-ups, and the use of seizure detection devices and rescue medication plans are essential in preventing breakthrough seizures, particularly in high-risk cases like Dravet syndrome.
Statistics on Breakthrough Seizures
Approximately 3 million people in the United States are living with epilepsy. A breakthrough seizure is defined as a seizure after a minimum of 12 months of being seizure-free while taking medication. After the first breakthrough seizure, the risk of more episodes in the following 2 years is 74%. At 2 years following remission, the risk of a breakthrough seizure is 37%.
Treatment of Breakthrough Seizures
Treatment for a breakthrough seizure may involve adjusting medications or avoiding triggers. If doctors cannot determine the cause of the breakthrough seizure, they may suggest increasing a person's medication dosage.
In summary, breakthrough seizures are a complex issue for people with epilepsy, often caused by triggers like missed medications or stress. Prevention focuses on identifying and managing these triggers alongside consistent medication adherence and medical care. By understanding the causes and symptoms of breakthrough seizures, individuals with epilepsy can work closely with their healthcare providers to develop effective strategies for managing their condition.
