Citation

Kaufman KR, Struck PJ. Epilepsy Behav. 2010; 19(4): 656-659.

Affiliation

Department of Psychiatry, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; Department of Neurology, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; Department of Anesthesiology, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.yebeh.2010.09.034

PMID

21115407

Abstract

Patients with epilepsy and psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) have an increased prevalence of psychiatric illness and risk for suicidal ideation/suicidal behavior/suicide compared with the general population. Recent literature suggests that antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) used to treat epilepsy, pain, and psychiatric disorders increase the risk of suicide and that this increased risk may be AED selective. This case analyzes a suicide attempt on a video/EEG telemetry unit. Specific risk factors associated with increased risk of suicidal behaviors pertinent to this case are reviewed: epilepsy, multiple psychiatric diagnoses including affective disorder, AEDs, PNES, prior medically serious suicide attempt, and suicide attempt within the past month. Specific psychometric rating scales to screen for both psychiatric illness and suicide risk and psychiatric assessment should be integral components of the evaluation and treatment of patients on video/EEG telemetry units.

Language: en