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Epilepsy is defined as "two or more unprovoked seizures occurring at least 24 hours apart" for the purpose of conducting most population-based studies of epilepsy epidemiology.Etiology of epilepsy is partitioned into three categories: remote symptomatic, idiopathic, and cryptogenic.The overall incidence of epilepsy is around 40-70 per 100,000 population per year while the incidence of epilepsy in resource-poor countries is generally higher in the range of 100-190 cases per 100,000 population per year.The prevalence of epilepsy in many different settings has usually been found to be between 4 and 10 per 1,000 persons.In both industrialized and resource-poor countries, up to 5% of a population will experience non-febrile seizures at some point in life.Mortality is best expressed as the standardized mortality ratio (SMR).Up to one-third of premature deaths can be directly or indirectly attributable to epilepsy.SUDEP is the most important cause of epilepsy-related deaths, particularly in the young, and people with frequent seizures and/or suboptimal anti-epileptic drug treatment.People with epilepsy may sustain a fatal accident either during a seizure or as a consequence of a seizure.Accidental deaths related to epilepsy are commonly due to drowning, traffic accidents, trauma, falls, burns, or aspiration.The natural history of patients with epilepsy is generally favorable in terms of ultimate seizure control.At least 60% of newly diagnosed patients can expect complete seizure control, and approximately 50% of these patients can discontinue medication.