AbstractBackground: With increasing age, the prevalence and incidence of epilepsy and seizures increases correspondingly. New-onset epilepsy in elderly people often has underlying etiology, including cerebrovascular diseases, primary neuron degenerative disorders, intracerebral tumors, and traumatic head injury.
Objectives: To study the clinical profile and etiology of new onset of seiures in elderly.
Material and Methods: A prospective study of 75 cases of epilepsy who fulfilled the following criteria. The Inclusion criteria were epilepsy diagnosed according to ILAE classification, Age of onset >60 years. Exclusion criteria were Age of onset <60years.
Results: Majority of patients belonged to the age group of 60- 83 years. Male: Female ratio was 1.4:1. Etiological analysis- idiopathic (13.3%), poststroke epilepsy (41.3%), metabolic (18.6%), alcohol related (10%), posttraumatic (5.3%), brain tumor (8%), brain infection (2.6%) and most common type focal motor impaired/complex partial seizurs.
Conclusion: Epilepsy beginning in elder life requires special attention with respect to its etiology. Cerebrovascular disease was the most common etiology after 60 years of age whereas metabolc, alcohol withdrawal were other common etiologies and complex partial seizure/focal motor with impaired cognition was the most common type of seizure.