The significance of seizure provoking factors in epileptic patients

ABSTRACT

207 patients were randomly selected out of 590 epileptic patients attending the neurology clinic of the St. Rhadboud Hospital; Nijmegen between January 1st 1980 and June 30th 1985; and studied for the presence of factors known to provoke or precipitate seizures in patients with epilepsy. Seizure precipitating factors were in 64.7 percent of the patients. The factors included; emotional or psychological stress (54.1 percent); menstruation (25.0 percent of the females); physical stress or lack of sleep (19.3 percent); alcohol (17.8 percent); light or TV watching (1.9 percent); specific sounds or Music (1.9 percent); excessive relaxation (1.9 percent); hyperventilation (1.9 percent) and others (7.2 percent). Seizures occured in the wakeful state in 56.2 percent of the patients; during sleep in 32.2 percent. Seizure precipitant are significantly present in epileptic patients and should be routinely looked for in every patient with epilepsy