What do hospitalization data reveal about ways to reduce admissions of epilepsy patients?

Adults with epilepsy are sometimes admitted to hospital as emergencies. It was expected that these admissions would be due to status epilepticus, injuries sustained during seizures and adverse side effects or toxicity from antiepileptic drugs. However, an examination of local hospital episode statistics showed that such hospital admissions were more complex. Age, sex and comorbidities influenced non-elective admissions. This study revealed that depression and alcohol and drug use were frequently associated with non-elective adult admissions for epilepsy, suggesting that seizure control was poorer with the presence of mental health problems and substance misuse. There is a paucity of literature to explain non-elective hospitalization of adults with epilepsy, and extant literature is contradictory. The results of this study can inform efforts to identify potentially avoidable hospital admissions and find alternative interventions or resources that may reduce or prevent some admissions