Epilepsy In Later Life Conference, Scotland

Main Category: Epilepsy
Article Date: 17 Sep 2008 - 4:00 PDT

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Guiding good practice for epilepsy in later life

Older people who develop epilepsy will have better diagnosis and treatment thanks to a new draft guideline. This guidance is being further developed by delegates attending Epilepsy Scotland's conference, today, in the Royal College of Physicians, Edinburgh.

Chief Executive Susan Douglas-Scott commented: "The incidence of epilepsy increases with age and as more people are living longer - more people are living with epilepsy. This group has specific needs in terms of their care and Epilepsy Scotland wants to ensure healthcare professionals are aware of this. This new Epilepsy in later life guideline will help us spread the word."

Sometimes signs of epilepsy in the elderly can be missed, overlooked or misinterpreted. A working group of health professionals, led by Edinburgh Western General Hospital consultant Andrew Elder and Epilepsy Scotland, devised the guidelines to address this. Conference participants will reach a consensus on the final content of the guideline.

Chair of the working group, Andrew Elder said: "Epilepsy can be a difficult diagnosis to make - especially in the elderly when other conditions can cause nearly identical symptoms. Skilled early assessment of older people with epilepsy often leads to effective treatment, abolishing symptoms and re-establishing confidence. It's important that healthcare professionals can access clear guidance for the diagnosis and management of this group of patients. We hope our new Good Practice Guide goes some way to achieving that."

There are extra complications in meeting the health needs of older people with epilepsy. The guidance highlights the difference between falls and funny turns. It considers the best option of treatment. It looks at drug doses for people on a cocktail of medication.

Nearly 100 delegates will attend the one day conference, chaired by Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr Aileen Keel. Their feedback will inform the final guideline to assist when older people come to surgeries, accident and emergency and hospital wards.

Notes

1. Photo opportunity and interview: Epilepsy Scotland Chief Executive Susan Douglas-Scott, Chair Dr Aileen Keel and speakers including Dr Andrew Elder will be available at 11.20am on 17 September in the Royal College of Physicians, Edinburgh (0131 247 3607).

2. Epilepsy Scotland works with people affected by epilepsy to ensure that their voice is heard. As the national epilepsy charity, we campaign for improved healthcare, better information provision and an end to stigma. This common serious neurological condition affects one in 130 people. We represent nearly 40,000 people with epilepsy, their families and carers. Our freephone Helpline (0808 800 2200) offers advice, leaflets and support while information is also available from our website: http://www.epilepsyscotland.org.uk

3. National SIGN 70 guideline; Diagnosis and Management of Epilepsy in Adults, highlights a shortage of evidence to guide the management of epilepsy in older people.

4. 1 in 90 people over the age of 65 will develop epilepsy, compared with 1 in 130 of the general population. The causes of seizures and the psychosocial impact of the diagnosis of epilepsy can be different in older people than in younger people. Older people with epilepsy also have a mortality rate 2-3 times higher than that of the general population.

5. In May 2005 Epilepsy Scotland held an important conference to examine the specific issues around epilepsy in later life. In November 2006 Epilepsy Scotland had a second meeting that explored this theme further through discussion with a range of stakeholders in the fields of health, education and social policy. The outcome of this meeting was that there was a need for guidance in the diagnosis, management and referral of people with epilepsy in later life.

Epilepsy Scotland