40 THE QUEENS COURIER • HEALTH • MAY 4, 2017 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM health Too many with epilepsy are unaware of this uncommon but fatal threat For people with epilepsy-and for those who care for them-the side eff ects of the condition are well known. Th ey know all about the seizures and they also know how best to care for themselves The important role vaccines may play in helping keep children and adults healthy Every one of the nearly 12,000 babies born in the United States each day may be susceptible to infectious diseases. Th e good news is that vaccines can help protect children from some of these diseases. As National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW) approaches, it is timely to remember the role that vaccinations can play in helping to prevent certain diseases among infants. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it is estimated that routine vaccination of the nearly 4 million babies born in the US each year may help to prevent about 20 million cases of diseases that they could develop over their lifetime. In fact, over time, successful vaccination campaigns have contributed to the near elimination or elimination of some diseases in the U.S., like polio. Vaccination is considered to be one of the greatest public health achievements since 1900. NIIW, which is held April 22 - 29 this year, highlights the importance of helping to protect infants from diseases for which there are vaccines and celebrates the achievements of vaccination programs in helping to promote healthy communities. “Today vaccines can help to protect against 14 diseases before age two,” explains Eddy Bresnitz, M.D., M.S., Executive Director, Merck Vaccines Global Health & Medical Aff airs. “Failure to vaccinate may mean putting your children at risk for potentially serious diseases.” “In the U.S., most young children receive many of the recommended vaccines, but there is room to improve vaccination rates among all groups, including adolescents and adults,” says Bresnitz. In fact, the CDC has specifi c recommended vaccination schedules that cover children, adolescents and adults. Talk to your healthcare provider about vaccines that may be recommended for you and your loved ones, and visit www.vaccinesandyou. com to learn more. Courtesy BPT or their loved ones should a seizure occur. While the persistent possibility of a seizure is well known, many people living with epilepsy are unaware of another threat that, while uncommon, is fatal. Th ey are unaware of SUDEP. What is SUDEP? SUDEP stands for Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy. It is an uncommon but fatal complication that kills one in 4,500 children with epilepsy and one in 1,000 adults with epilepsy each year. In many cases of SUDEP, an otherwise healthy person with epilepsy dies unexpectedly. And while SUDEP may seem to strike from nowhere, new research is available to help patients and their families reduce their risk. Th e American Academy of Neurology and the American Epilepsy Society recently released a new guideline to help patients and their families better understand SUDEP and its risk factors. According to the guideline, the occurrence of generalized tonic-clonic seizures (GTCS), a type of seizure that involves the whole body, is one of the key risk factors for SUDEP. Th e guidelines also fi nd that a patient’s risk of SUDEP increases as GTCS increases in frequency. Likewise, seizure freedom from GTCS decreases a person’s risk of SUDEP. Care guidelines for doctors, patients and caregivers Given the clear connection that exists between the frequency of GTCS and their risk for SUDEP, reducing GTCS experiences remains the most eff ective way to reduce a person’s SUDEP risk. For neurologists-the doctors who treat patients with epilepsy-this means increasing patient knowledge of SUDEP and letting people know that while the condition is uncommon, it can be fatal. Th is conversation can be diffi cult, but it is essential so patients can better understand their risks and how to protect their health. Actively working with patients who experience GTCS to manage their epilepsy therapies is the best way to reduce their seizure risk. Neurologists should also inform patients that seizure freedom, particularly freedom from GTCS-which is more likely to occur by taking prescribed medication regularly-is strongly associated with a decreased risk of SUDEP. For patients, this report makes the conversations they have with their neurologist regarding their epilepsy treatment more important than ever. Patients must speak with their neurologist about their experiences and carefully follow the treatments set in place. Failure to do so could not only be seizure inducing, but life threatening. For those living with epilepsy and their caregivers, sidestepping the treatment simply isn’t worth the risk. To learn more about SUDEP and the latest treatment guidelines available from the American Academy of Neurology and American Epilepsy Society, visit aan.com. Courtesy BPT
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