Am I At Risk Of Getting Epilepsy?

Do you have a family history of epilepsy or fever-related seizures?

Have you had a severe head injury (as a result of a car accident or other traumatic injury)?

Have you had a seizure that occurred within days of a head injury?

Have you survived a stroke or have a vascular disease (peripheral artery disease (PAD), varicose veins, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), aneurysm, atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease)?

Have you had brain infections such as abscess, meningitis or viral encephalitis?

Do you have AIDS?

Do you have fever-related (febrile) seizures that are unusually long?

Are you an elderly person with dementia?

Do you use illegal drugs like cocaine?

Based on your answers you have a low risk of getting epilepsy. Epilepsy is a serious neurological disorder characterized by seizures that result from altered brain activity. It affects men and women of all races and ages. There are many so-called "risk factors" for epilepsy. A risk factor is something that makes a person more likely to develop a certain disease. Risk factors for epilepsy can be various brain injuries or infections, as well as congenital brain abnormalities that can lead to altered brain activity. But also, in a large number of cases, it is not possible to determine exactly how and why epilepsy started.

Based on your answers you have a moderate risk of getting epilepsy. Epilepsy is a chronic non-communicable disease of your brain. It is one of the most common neurological diseases affecting about 50 million people worldwide. Epilepsy is characterized by various types of seizures. In most cases, a person with epilepsy always has the same type of seizure, so the symptoms are similar during each episode. Timely diagnosis and treatment is extremely important. It is estimated that about 70 percent of people with epilepsy could lead a life without seizures if treatment is started on time. Occasionally, children with epilepsy can outgrow the disease with age.

Based on your answers you have a high risk of getting epilepsy. Epilepsy is a disorder of the central nervous system that is characterized by periodic seizures. Seizures are brief episodes of involuntary movements that involve the whole body or just a specific part of the body. One seizure does not necessarily mean that you have epilepsy, but if you have any concerns, please consult your doctor. Many underlying diseases can lead to epilepsy. It can be caused by a stroke that limits the amount of oxygen in the brain, as well as a brain infection such as meningitis. Also, some types of epilepsy run in families.