As per a research published in journal Neurology, prone sleeping position may increase risk of sudden death for epilepsy patients. Study researchers affirmed that people aged younger than 40 are especially at increased risk of sudden death.
The researchers analyzed 25 published studies and have also gone through the data of 253 sudden, unexplained deaths of epilepsy patients. These patients were the ones whose information on body position at time of death was available.
James Tao, an associate professor of neurology at the University of Chicago, and colleagues, found that 73% of the patients sleeping in prone position have died. The researchers said that in the sub-group of 88 cases, people younger than 40 years of age were four times more likely to die in prone sleeping position in comparison to elderly.
In total, 86% of younger people than 40 to 60% aged more than 40 years were in prone position when found dead. Tao said that based on the study findings, they would like to recommend that people having epilepsy should not sleep in prone position.
These people should try to sleep in differnet positions, like on their side or back. Partners can also play an important role as they can remind them to not sleep in prone position. Tao said that options like wrist watches and bed alarms can be used to detect seizures and it can help prevent chances of sudden death.
We found that prone sleeping is a significant risk for sudden, unexpected death in epilepsy, particularly in younger patients under age 40, affirmed Tao. As per statistics, 2.3 million adults in America suffer seizure disorder and just 1 in 26 people will be diagnosed with epilepsy at some point in their lives.
Tao said that it is an association and not cause and effect.