Identifying and managing epilepsy in older adults
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Updated: May 13, 2026

Simultaneous Video-EEG-ECG Monitoring to Identify Neurocardiac Dysfunction in Mouse Models of Epilepsy
Published on: January 29, 2018
1Orpington Hospital South London Healthcare Trust.
Abstract:
Although epilepsy is often considered to be a condition that affects children and young people, the incidence of new-onset epilepsy has significantly increased among older people since the 1980s. In addition, it is set to rise further, placing an increasing burden on healthcare resources. One reason for this increase is the growth in the population of older people and in age-related conditions such as stroke and dementia, which predispose to epilepsy. The condition can easily go unrecognised in older people, and its symptoms can be dismissed as part of the ageing process or mistaken for other conditions, such as dementia, transient ischaemic attack or heart disease. This article discusses the presentation, diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy in older people.
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