April 3, 2025

Epilepsy and obstructive sleep apnea: Assessing the risk of sudden unexplained death in epilepsy

Cleveland Clinic
Dr. Nancy Foldvary-Schaefer, DO, an epilepsy specialist and director of Cleveland Clinic’s Sleep Disorders Center, is the corresponding author on a study recently published in Epilepsy & Behavior, which advances the understanding of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and sudden unexplained death in epilepsy (SUDEP) through the use of in-laboratory polysomnography to accurately assess incidents of OSA in subjects with epilepsy. Study results underscore the need for physicians to consider sleep as they help their patients manage their epilepsy and related risks.