Epilepsy Fast Facts

• Epilepsy is a chronic neurological condition characterized by recurrent seizures.
• There are many types of seizures and their symptoms can vary from a momentary disruption of the senses, to short periods of unconsciousness or staring spells, to convulsions.
• Epilepsy can be caused by by many different conditions that affect a person’s brain.  Often no definite cause can be found.  Epilepsy cannot be transmitted from person to person.
• Epilepsy affects about 2.5 million Americans.
• About 10% of people will experience a seizure sometime during their lifetime and about 3% will have had a diagnosis of epilepsy by age 80.
• In 2009, nearly 150,000 new cases of epilepsy will be diagnosed in the United States.
• Epilepsy results in an estimated annual cost of $15.5 billion in medical costs and lost or reduced earnings and production.