Epilepsy: What Increases Your Risk
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What Increases Your Risk
The risk of developing epilepsy increases if you have:3
- Family history of epilepsy.
- Head injury (for example, a penetrating wound or skull fracture) with loss of consciousness or amnesia for more than 24 hours. The more severe the injury, the higher the risk.
- Stroke or conditions that affect the blood vessels (vascular system) in the brain.
- Brain tumor.
- Brain infection, such as encephalitis or meningitis.
- Lead poisoning, food poisoning, or exposure to toxic fumes.
- Problems with brain development that occurred before birth.
- Substance abuse.
- Fever seizures that last a long time (also known as febrile convulsions).
- Alzheimer's disease.
Epilepsy may develop even though you do not have any risk factors. This is especially true of many forms of childhood epilepsy.
| Last updated: | October 29, 2007 |
|---|---|
| Author: | Monica Rhodes |
| Reviewed By: | Michael J. Sexton, MD - Pediatrics, Steven C. Schachter, MD - Neurology |
| Editors: | Kathleen M. Ariss, MS, Pat Truman, MATC |
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