ICD-11 code : MH15;
Preferred Label : Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy;
ICD-11 definition : Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is a category of death in people with
epilepsy that occurs under benign circumstances and in the absence of known structural
causes of death (i.e. not due to drowning, injury, intoxication and other internal
or external factors). Evidence of a preceding seizure may be present or not. A definite
SUDEP is confirmed if a postmortem examination does not reveal an alternative cause
of death. If such examination lacks, but potentially lethal alternative causes are
excluded and all other criteria are met, the death is labelled as probable SUDEP.
The term possible SUDEP is used in cases with competing causes of death or when data
are insufficient to reasonably allow their classification. The term SUDEP plus applies
when a patient also suffered from other diseases that may have contributed to the
death, but there are no clues that the alternative condition has truly caused it.
Cases in which cardiopulmonary resuscitation prevented the death are called near-SUDEP.;
ICD-11 synonym : Unexpected death in epilepsy; Sudden unexplained death in epilepsy; SUDEP - [sudden unexpected death in epilepsy];
ICD-11 acronym : SUDEP;
Origin ID : 1370023741;
Automatic exact mappings (from CISMeF team)
Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is a category of death in people with
epilepsy that occurs under benign circumstances and in the absence of known structural
causes of death (i.e. not due to drowning, injury, intoxication and other internal
or external factors). Evidence of a preceding seizure may be present or not. A definite
SUDEP is confirmed if a postmortem examination does not reveal an alternative cause
of death. If such examination lacks, but potentially lethal alternative causes are
excluded and all other criteria are met, the death is labelled as probable SUDEP.
The term possible SUDEP is used in cases with competing causes of death or when data
are insufficient to reasonably allow their classification. The term SUDEP plus applies
when a patient also suffered from other diseases that may have contributed to the
death, but there are no clues that the alternative condition has truly caused it.
Cases in which cardiopulmonary resuscitation prevented the death are called near-SUDEP.
