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 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 million Americans.
• About 10% of people will experience a seizure sometime during their lifetime and about 1 in 26 will be diagnosed with epilepsy at some point in their lives.
• About 140,000 new cases of epilepsy will be diagnosed in the United States each year.
• Epilepsy results in an estimated annual cost of $15.5 billion in medical costs and lost or reduced earnings and production.