Guidance published on epileptic seizure alarms

Health Technology Wales has published new national guidance on the use of wearable and bed-based epilepsy alarm technologies to detect tonic-clonic seizures in people with epilepsy.

A tonic-clonic seizure generally begins with a loss of consciousness and generalised muscle stiffening, followed by rhythmic jerking of the limbs. Tonic-clonic seizures pose major risks, including serious injury, and are the strongest predictor of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy, particularly in unattended patients during nighttime hours.

Epilepsy alarms can be used to detect when someone is having a seizure. This may reduce the risk of an injury or fatality caused by the seizure,

The alarms monitor monitor physiological signals, such as movement and heart rate, to detect abnormal activity associated with seizures.   The alarms can be wearable or be attached to a bed or mattress.

Once a seizure is detected the monitor triggers an alarm to caregivers or family members.

Currently no gold-standard method exists to detect seizures outside of the hospital setting, and there are no specified epilepsy alarms recommended by the NHS in Wales.

According to HTW’s guidance, more evidence is needed on the technology.

The guidance states that there is limited evidence on the clinical effectiveness of wearable and bed-based epilepsy alarm technologies to detect tonic-clonic seizures in people with epilepsy.

HTW was also unable to determine the cost effectiveness of the technology from a Welsh perspective as there was insufficient evidence.

Click here to read HTW’s guidance in full.