Epilepsy is a chronic brain disorder that manifests itself in epileptic seizures, recurrent convulsions caused by excessive electrical discharges from groups of brain cells, and that can affect people of any age, although it is more common for it to begin in childhood and is associated with neurodevelopmental disorders, disabilities or benign epilepsies unrelated to anything, related to age.
This disease has a high prevalence in the population. Approximately 1% of the population will suffer an epileptic seizure at some point in their lives. Its diagnosis is made when patients suffer two or more seizures, separated by a period of time ranging from 24 hours to 10 years.
Epileptic seizures can cause absence episodes - they are difficult to identify because they involve being disconnected for a few seconds and then returning to what was being done -; involuntary movements; loss of consciousness and/or sphincter control; convulsions - but not all epileptic seizures present this symptom.
There are focal epileptic seizures, which have variable symptoms depending on the area of the brain that is affected. And, in some cases, they can spread to the rest of the brain, manifesting as convulsive seizures and generalized seizures, with absences or convulsions.
The Neurology service diagnoses this anomaly that occurs in the brain by performing an imaging test - an MRI - and an electroencephalogram.The faster the electroencephalogram is performed, from the moment a seizure occurs, the greater the chance of detecting this epileptiform activity in the test. To improve diagnosis and patient care, the hours for performing electroencephalograms have been extended to 12 hours. We now have the ability to perform EEG recordings from Monday to Friday mornings and afternoons.”, explains Dr. Gemma Sansa, director of the Neurology service at Parc Taulí.
The professionals who make up the Epilepsy Unit at Parc Taulí remember that as with stroke, time is brain, in cases of status crises, in epilepsy too. “In these cases, aRapid diagnosis can improve or prevent neurological, cognitive, psychological and social sequelae”, says Dr. Sansa.
Patients diagnosed with epilepsy follow pharmacological treatment to prevent seizures. Although some people with symptomatic epilepsy need to undergo surgery to put an end to these episodes.
Parc Taulí is a reference center in the Vallès area for the diagnosis and treatment of this neurological disease.
