JUST THE FACTS FRIDAY

Epilepsy by the numbers

15.5 Billion Cost in U.S. dollars of medical expenses and lost or reduced earnings and production as a result of epilepsy

2.7 Million Number of Americans affected by epilepsy

300,000 Number of Americans who have their first convulsion each year

200,000 Number of Americans diagnosed with epilepsy each year

120,000 Number of Americans under age 18 who suffer their first convulsion each year

45,000 Number of American children under the age of 15 who develop epilepsy each year

75 Percentage of Americans who are seizure free on medication for two to five years that can be successfully withdrawn from medication

3 Percentage of Americans that can be expected to have been diagnosed with epilepsy by age 75

Under 2/Over 65 Ages at which there is the highest incidence of epilepsy among Americans

1 Percentage of American population that can be expected to have developed epilepsy by age 20

7 Non-government links to resources provided on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website (www.cdc.gov/epilepsy), including:

American Epilepsy Society

American Academy of Neurology—The Brain Matters

Epilepsy Foundation

Epilepsy.com

National Association of Epilepsy Centers

National Initiative for Children's Healthcare Quality

Antiepileptic Drug Pregnancy Registry at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston

Sources for statistics: Epilepsy Foundation and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention