[Research] Preventing SUDEP?

[PhylisFeinerJohnson]

Imagine a simple test to identify your risk for Sudden Unexplained Death in Epilepsy. An EKG, and if positive, a simple genetic screening test to identify the family of genes that identify this new risk factor.

If you test positively, the prevention could be as simple as taking beta blockers...or in more serious cases, inserting a pacemaker.

To read more about this exciting breakthrough study, click on: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/167471.php

[bigbro]

From the article:

No one knew why young people with epilepsy died suddenly, but Goldman built on previous work in Noebels' lab that found that an ion channel gene thought to work only in the heart was active in the brain as well. She examined five ion channel genes linked to long QT syndrome, a disorder associated with heart rhythm disorders and sudden death.

Long QT refers to an interval in electrocardiograms - the QT interval, which is prolonged in this disorder. An ion channel is a tiny pore in a membrane that controls the flow of ions such as calcium and potassium in and out of a cell.

Goldman found that mice with a mutation in the gene that encodes for the KvLQT1 ion channel had frequent epileptic seizes as well as life-threatening heart rhythm irregularities.

'This demonstrates the long-sought molecular link between heart and brain in epilepsy," said Noebels.

My sister may have died of Sudden Unexplained Death in Epilepsy, and my mother has heart arrhythmia. I think I get it too. I definitely get heart palpitations when I have caffeine and am stressed.

I am not sure whether my sister had arrhythmia or not, whether arrhythmia or only the gene is necessary, or what exactly caused her to die but it is another data point. My sister may have died of Status Epilepticus, we don't know for sure.

[PhylisFeinerJohnson]

Perhaps, for safety's sake, you should get the genetic test... It's not a big deal and it could possibly save your life!