It’s time to talk about SUDEP
Alfred Health has teamed up with the Epilepsy Foundation and Monash University in the creation of a video to improve clinicians’ awareness of Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP).
The sudden, unexpected death of someone from epilepsy often occurs during sleep with no clear cause. The best way of preventing SUDEP is to lower the person’s risk by preventing seizures.
Senior Research Fellow and Head of SUDEP Research at Alfred Health Dr Shobi Sivathamboo said patients and families are often completely unaware of SUDEP, and that needs to change.
“The possibility of dying from epilepsy is daunting — patients have a right to know, but clinicians are often reluctant to talk about it,” said Dr Sivathamboo.
“While SUDEP risk can’t be eliminated altogether, empowering patients to make informed decisions and manage their risk starts with conversations like this.”
The video, shared across professional networks, can be viewed by anyone here: https://bit.ly/3OFCyHg
