Elsevier

Seizure

Volume 7, Issue 5, October 1998, Pages 403-406
Seizure

Original article
The misdiagnosis of epilepsy: findings of a population study*

https://doi.org/10.1016/S1059-1311(05)80010-XGet rights and content
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This paper reports the results of a population study designed to assess the standards of epilepsy care within a geographical population in relation to diagnosis, seizure management and quality of life. One of the findings was the unexpectedly high frequency of the misdiagnosis of epilepsy. Forty-nine of 214 patients with a primary diagnosis of epilepsy were subsequently found to have been misdiagnosed following a specialist review and investigations. All except two have been withdrawn from antiepileptic medication. The diagnosis of epilepsy was disputed in a further 26 patients. Of the 49 patients, 20 were found to have cardiovascular or cerebrovascular pathology. Seven had only ever experienced a single seizure and a further 10 were found to have underlying psychopathology. Such observations support the view that epilepsy is frequently misdiagnosed and this paper discusses some of the implications of misdiagnosis.

Key words

epilepsy
non-epileptic attack disorder
misdiagnosis

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*

The CARE Project has been sponsored by the Department of Health, and supported by educational grants from Glaxo Wellcome, Parke Davis and Sanofi Winthrop.