Are medical students aware of SUDEP? A survey in Turkey

ABSTRACT Objective Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) has been recognized as an important cause of death in patients with epilepsy. In order to inform patients with epilepsy and their relatives correctly, it is necessary to increase the awareness of students about SUDEP from the early stages of medical education. The aim of this study was to identify the level of knowledge and awareness of medical students in Turkey about SUDEP. Methods Medical students (23±7 years old; n=793) in Turkey participated in the online SUDEP awareness survey. The survey included demographic evidence, followed by questions about their awareness of epilepsy, seizure knowledge and about the definition, awareness of SUDEP. Results The majority of medical students (95%) claimed that they had heard about epileptic seizures. Half of the participants (49.9%) mentioned that they had heard about tonic-clonic seizures. However, two-thirds of the students (67%) have never heard about SUDEP, while 85% of the students stated that they did not have sufficient knowledge about SUDEP. Concerning the potential prevention of SUDEP, 80.8% of the students did not know about this topic. Furthermore, most participants (82%) expressed their interest and willingness to learn about SUDEP. Conclusion Knowledge about SUDEP plays a key role in identifying patients at risk and informing patients and their relatives. The limited awareness of SUDEP in medical education may pose risks for patients diagnosed with epilepsy and their relatives, and the effective incorporation of lectures and training in SUDEP into the curriculum of medical school is of paramount importance.