Epilepsy statistics in the US and Canada reveal that it affects about 1% of the population. In the US, that’s nearly 3 million people and more than 300,000 in Canada. Every year, more than 200,000 US citizens and 14,000 Canadians learn they have this condition.
Most new cases occur in children younger than 2 and in senior citizens over the age of 65. After stroke and dementia, epilepsy is the most common neurological condition among senior citizens. By the age of 75, 3-7% of the population has been diagnosed with epilepsy, and an additional 3% or so has experienced some type of seizure during their lifetime.
In 70% of new cases, no apparent cause is revealed. Half of all people with new seizures have generalized (tonic-clonic) seizures.
Epilepsy occurs more commonly among males than among females, and it also occurs more frequently among members of racial minorities than among Caucasians. It affects a tenth of children with cerebral palsy, a tenth of children with mental retardation, and half of all children who have both of these disabilities. Among children whose mothers have epilepsy, nearly 9% also have the condition. That figure drops to 2.4% among children whose fathers have epilepsy.
Among senior citizens, 10% of elders who have Alzheimer’s disease also have epilepsy. Nearly a quarter of elders who have had a stroke also have a seizure disorder.
Fully 70% of people with epilepsy enter remission, which is defined as five or more years without a seizure. The odds of remission are only half as good for people with cerebral palsy, mental retardation, or another neurological condition, however. After being seizure-free on medication for two to five years, 75% of people with epilepsy can gradually stop their medications with success. Unfortunately, even with the best medical management, 10% of people fail to experience full control of their seizures.
PDF 
