{"id":152217,"date":"2016-07-28T21:16:34","date_gmt":"2016-07-28T11:16:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=152217"},"modified":"2020-10-08T16:40:35","modified_gmt":"2020-10-08T06:40:35","slug":"epilepsy-expert-shares-tips-with-gps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2016\/07\/28\/epilepsy-expert-shares-tips-with-gps\/","title":{"rendered":"Epilepsy Expert Shares Tips With GPs"},"content":{"rendered":"
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DDWM PHN Primary Care Engagement Manager Anne-Marie Donovan, from Toowoomba, with\u00a0Dr Rosey Panelli and\u00a0Margie Hams,\u00a0DDWM PHN\u00a0Practice Support & Education Co-ordinator for the South Burnett and Western Downs<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

July 20, 2016<\/strong><\/p>\n

Epilepsy isn’t often considered a fatal condition – and fortunately, usually it isn’t – but the reality is that every year people with epilepsy DO die, and often the cause of death seems a mystery.<\/p>\n

This syndrome, which in ways mimics Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) in babies, is known as Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP).<\/p>\n

University of Melbourne Research Fellow Dr Rosey Panelli visited the South Burnett recently to raise awareness about SUDEP – and the management of epilepsy – amongst GPs, registrars, nurses, health care workers and medical students, .<\/p>\n

The visit was organised by the Darling Downs West Moreton Primary Healthcare Network (DDWM PHN).<\/p>\n

Dr Panelli has more than 20 years\u2019 experience in the research of epilepsy and is currently undertaking a study of unexplained epilepsy deaths in the ACT over the past 10 years.<\/p>\n

She told southburnett.com.au<\/strong>\u00a0she had become very interested in how GPs manage people with epilepsy after they return with a specialist diagnosis.<\/p>\n

Dr Panelli said GPs had an important role to play in helping people manage their seizures, and thus manage their risks of dying.<\/p>\n

“Seizures are the most common cause of death,” she said.<\/p>\n

Dr Panelli said the people most at risk of dying were those who had seizures at night. \u00a0The person is often found dead in bed, lying face down.<\/p>\n

“More people die from SUDEP every year than SIDS,” she said.<\/p>\n

She said \u00a0studies in the United Kingdom had identified four “red flags”, or risk factors, that GPs should be watching for in their patients with epilepsy.<\/p>\n

These were:<\/strong><\/p>\n