Terminal Seizures

Terminal seizure are seizures which result in death. Medline Plus, part of the U.S. National Library of of Medicine, states that death from seizures is not common, but that when it does occur, it is most often due to a "prolonged lack of breathing." This causes brain tissue to die due to a lack of oxygen.

Who is at Risk

• Young people and children with epilepsy are at greatest risk for terminal seizures.

Tonic-Clonic Seizure

• A long-lasting convulsive seizure, referred to as a tonic-clonic seizure, can result in death if not stopped within 30 minutes. Any seizure which lasts more than five minutes necessitates medical help.

Causes of Death

• Persons who experience seizures can die not only from a lack of oxygen to the brain cells, but also from inhaling vomit during or right after a seizure. The website Epilepsy.com states that this can be prevented by turning the person having a seizure onto their side when the seizure begins and ensuring that any vomit comes completely out of their mouth.

  Accidents such as drowning can also occur as a result of seizures. Practical measures in safety help. Taking showers rather than baths, for example, can help minimize risk of death from drowning while bathing.