Epilepsy

Abstract

Approximately 2 million persons in the United States have epilepsy,^1,2 making the prevalence of this disorder similar to that of type 1 diabetes mellitus.³ Each year, 100,000 new cases of epilepsy are diagnosed in the United States.^1,4 Both the prevalence and the incidence of epilepsy are dramatically higher among elderly persons than among those who are younger.¹ Thus, many primary care physicians care for a substantial number of patients with epilepsy.EvaluationDiagnosis of a Seizure DisorderThe first step in the evaluation of a patient with possible epilepsy is to determine whether the patient does or does . . .