Adapted from BMJ 13 January 2024
What are the chances of having a second epileptic seizure?
After a first unprovoked seizure:
one in four adults and children will have another fit within the first six months
one in three will have a fit in the first year
two in five will have a fit in the first two years
Children have a slightly higher chance of further fits than adults.
More than 633 thousand people in the UK have epilepsy. A diagnosis is made if you have had two unprovoked seizures at least one day apart.
One in 25 people will have an unprovoked seizure in their lifetime. People want to know how much at risk they are of another. This is important for driving, some jobs, bathing, swimming, and travelling.
Studies have put the risk between 24 to 65%. This review looked at 58 studies covering the experience of 12,160 people and covered both adults and children.
If you have a fit in the UK, you will be banned from driving completely in the first six months and for a year if they have a further fit.
Researchers want to continue the work to find out what factors may precipitate further fits in the ten years after the first one.
Diabetes Diet 