Ictal hypoventilation contributes to cardiac arrhythmia and SUDEP: report on two deaths in video-EEG-monitored patients
- Resource Type
- Authors
- Lisa M, Bateman; Mark, Spitz; Masud, Seyal
- Source
- Epilepsia. 51(5)
- Subject
- Adult
Male
Video Recording
Videotape Recording
Arrhythmias, Cardiac
Electroencephalography
Hypoventilation
Middle Aged
Hypercapnia
Death, Sudden
Electrocardiography
Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe
Cause of Death
Humans
Telemetry
Female
Hypoxia
Monitoring, Physiologic
- Language
- ISSN
- 1528-1167
Sudden unexplained death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is a common cause of death in patients with epilepsy, with cardiorespiratory dysfunction and a primary cessation of cerebral function proposed as causes. We report two cases of SUDEP in patients with intractable temporal lobe epilepsy undergoing video-EEG (electroencephalography) telemetry at two centers. Both had secondarily generalized convulsions. EEG, electrocardiography (ECG), and respiratory changes in these two patients are reported herein. Ictal/postictal hypoventilation may contribute to SUDEP with the resulting hypoxemia and acidosis leading to failure of recovery of cortical function and eventual cardiac failure.