How common are epileptic seizures in old age?

A large primary-care computerized database was searched to determine the incidence and prevalence of epilepsy and epileptic seizures in old age compared with the general population. The prevalence of subjects with a diagnosis of epileptic seizures was higher in older age groups: 10.9/1000 for sexagenarians, 12.0 for septuagenarians and 13.1 for those over 80, compared with 9.0/1000 in the overall population. The overall prevalence in subjects aged over 60 was 11.8. Annual incidence rose even more sharply in old age: 76/100,000 for sexagenarians, 147 for septuagenarians, and 159 for those over 80, compared with an overall population incidence of 69/100,000. The overall incidence in subjects over 60 was 117. Of incident cases requiring treatment, 35.5% were over 60 years old. Our findings are in keeping with other recent epidemiological studies and in part reflect the age-associated increase in the prevalence of cerebrovascular disease. They have implications for the organization of services for elderly people, for the education of general practitioners and hospital doctors and for directing epilepsy research.