Seizure detection

Epileptic seizures can sometimes be automatically recognized using seizure detection. This detects seizures through the patient's movements, changes in heart rate, and/or sounds. Especially for patients with high-risk, sometimes life-threatening seizures, (nighttime) monitoring is necessary.

There are various types of seizure detection devices available on the market, which are usually not covered by health insurance. Whether such a device is suitable for your patient is not always immediately clear. During a consultation at our center of expertise, we can sometimes provide clarity on this. During an admission, typically lasting several weeks, we can often determine which type of seizure detection is suitable for nighttime seizures. The results from the recordings can sometimes also show if care and (nighttime) monitoring can be further improved.

An example of seizure detection is an armband for the upper arm with an associated alert system. This NightWatch detects seizures by measuring changes in heart rate and movements. Scientific research shows that NightWatch reliably detects seizures in 85 percent of cases for patients with severe and high-risk seizures. It also shows that the device usually produces very few false alarms.

Seizure detection is primarily an option for patients with a severe seizure profile. A comprehensive and up-to-date overview is available at www.aanvalsdetectie.nl.