Fall related to epileptic seizures in the elderly

Area of Science:

• Geriatrics
• Neurology
• Epileptology

Background:

• Falls and epileptic seizures are common and detrimental in the elderly population.
• The relationship between seizures and falls in older adults is not well-documented.

Observation:

• Four elderly women (mean age 84.5 years) experienced falls linked to various seizure types, including late-onset focal seizures and juvenile myoclonic epilepsy.
• Seizure-induced falls involved tonic posturing, myoclonic jerks, and loss of consciousness.
• Diagnosing seizures was challenging, with initial electroencephalogram (EEG) tests being unremarkable in two cases, necessitating video-EEG monitoring.

Findings:

• Falls in the elderly can be a manifestation of different seizure types.
• Difficulties in diagnosing seizures in older adults may lead to underestimation of seizure-induced falls.
• Effective treatment of seizures resulted in the cessation of falls in all reported cases.

Implications:

• Recognizing falls related to seizures is vital for accurate diagnosis and management in geriatric practice.
• This highlights the importance of considering epilepsy in the differential diagnosis of falls in elderly patients.
• Improved diagnostic approaches, like video-EEG, are essential for identifying seizure-induced falls in this demographic.