Syed Wasim Akhtar, Asma Niaz, Naila Shahbaz, Shaukat Ali.
Knowledge, attitude and practice about “sudden unexpected death in epilepsy patients” among Neurologists and Pediatricians.
Pak J Med Res Jan ;49(2):25-7.

Background: Neurologists and pediatricians in Pakistan are generally not aware of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy patients and do they discuss this issue with the patients! Objectives: To assess the Knowledge Attitude and Practices about “Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy Patients” among neurologists and pediatricians. Settings: Department of Neurology, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, June 2005. Subjects and Methods: Neurologists and pediatricians of Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi were given a consent form to participate in the study. It was an interview-based study where a questionnaire was applied to the participants. There were 6 questions pertaining to the awareness about sudden unexpected death in epilepsy patients; about discussing the death with the patients and raising issue of sudden death in the discussion of epilepsy management. Results: A total of 41 doctors (26 neurologists and 15 pediatricians) participated in the study. Amongst the neurologists, 13 (50%) were aware of and 6(23.1%) had seen a case of unexpected death in epilepsy patients. Amongst the pediatricians, only 2(13.3%) knew about it and had seen a case of sudden death. Overall 15/41(36.6%) doctors were aware of and 8/41(19.5%) had seen a case of unexpected death in epilepsy patients. The patients of the above doctors never asked about it, except for one relative of a patient, who had lived abroad. Most of the doctors had never discussed this issue with the patients and none of them raised this issue in discussion about epilepsy management. Conclusions: The terminology of unexpected death in epilepsy patients was not known to many doctors and there is a need to increase awareness about this in doctors and general public.

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