Abstract
Although 9% of people will experience a seizure during their lifetime, most do not have epilepsy. Following the first seizure, acute systemic or neurologic disease must be excluded, electroencephalography performed, and psychosocial impact (including driving) addressed. A history of focal seizure origin, neurologic deficit on examination, an abnormal electroencephalograph, or a specific cause (such as tumour) predicts an increased risk of seizure recurrence.
Full text
PDF






Images in this article
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Bardy A. H. Decisions after first seizure. Acta Neurol Scand. 1991 May;83(5):294–296. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0404.1991.tb04704.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Berg A. T., Shinnar S. The risk of seizure recurrence following a first unprovoked seizure: a quantitative review. Neurology. 1991 Jul;41(7):965–972. doi: 10.1212/wnl.41.7.965. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Camfield P., Camfield C., Dooley J., Smith E., Garner B. A randomized study of carbamazepine versus no medication after a first unprovoked seizure in childhood. Neurology. 1989 Jun;39(6):851–852. doi: 10.1212/wnl.39.6.851. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Chadwick D. Epilepsy after first seizures: risks and implications. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1991 May;54(5):385–387. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.54.5.385. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Hart Y. M., Sander J. W., Johnson A. L., Shorvon S. D. National General Practice Study of Epilepsy: recurrence after a first seizure. Lancet. 1990 Nov 24;336(8726):1271–1274. doi: 10.1016/0140-6736(90)92960-p. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Hopkins A., Garman A., Clarke C. The first seizure in adult life. Value of clinical features, electroencephalography, and computerised tomographic scanning in prediction of seizure recurrence. Lancet. 1988 Apr 2;1(8588):721–726. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(88)91535-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Kilpatrick C. J., Tress B. M., O'Donnell C., Rossiter S. C., Hopper J. L. Magnetic resonance imaging and late-onset epilepsy. Epilepsia. 1991 May-Jun;32(3):358–364. doi: 10.1111/j.1528-1157.1991.tb04664.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Purves S. J. Diagnosis of seizure disorders. Can Fam Physician. 1990 Feb;36:305–309. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Ramirez-Lassepas M., Cipolle R. J., Morillo L. R., Gumnit R. J. Value of computed tomographic scan in the evaluation of adult patients after their first seizure. Ann Neurol. 1984 Jun;15(6):536–543. doi: 10.1002/ana.410150605. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Russo L. S., Jr, Goldstein K. H. The diagnostic assessment of single seizures. Is cranial computed tomography necessary? Arch Neurol. 1983 Nov;40(12):744–746. doi: 10.1001/archneur.1983.04050110062010. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Scheuer M. L., Pedley T. A. The evaluation and treatment of seizures. N Engl J Med. 1990 Nov 22;323(21):1468–1474. doi: 10.1056/NEJM199011223232107. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- van Donselaar C. A., Schimsheimer R. J., Geerts A. T., Declerck A. C. Value of the electroencephalogram in adult patients with untreated idiopathic first seizures. Arch Neurol. 1992 Mar;49(3):231–237. doi: 10.1001/archneur.1992.00530270045017. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

