Merck.com defines seizure disorders as abnormal brain electrical activity that may result in one or more of the following: convulsions, abnormal jerky movements and loss of consciousness. Seizures are fairly common, according to Merck: about 2 percent of the adult population experiences a seizure at one time or another. Luckily, however, only one-third of these go on to develop recurring seizure disorders. While most seizures resolve spontaneously within 1 to 2 minutes without any residual effects, some unfortunate cases go on to develop complications.
Drowning and Injuries
The Mayo Clinic enumerates the complications that may occur due to grand mal seizures: drowning, injury due to serious falls and injuries related to loss of consciousness while driving or operating heavy machinery. To reduce the risk of drowning, patients who suffer from grand mal seizure disorders should take showers instead of baths and should never swim alone. Serious bodily harm, such as joint dislocations, can also result from violent convulsions. The Epilepsy Foundation points to generalized tonic clonic, or grand mal, seizures, as the most common type of generalized seizure disorder. The Epilepsy Foundation refutes the claim that someone can swallow his tongue during convulsions, and they urge those who witness a grand mal episode not to try to force open the patient's jaw and place any object in it.
Organ Deformities
Organ deformities can result from seizure disorders. Antiepileptics, also known as anticonvulsant medications, are essential in the treatment of patients with seizure disorders. They are, however, not free of side effects. One of their most notable side effects, according to Merck.com, is the risk they pose during pregnancy. Merck describes a fetal antiepileptic drug syndrome, which occurs in about 4 percent of pregnant women taking antiepileptic drugs. This syndrome is comprised of various fetal malformations: limb, cardiac and facial deformities. Antiepileptic drugs are also associated with allergic reactions.
Aspiration Inhalation and Death
While most instances of seizure resolve without complications, in some cases there are serious complications, such as aspiration inhalation into the lung of saliva or vomit, which may be fatal. Merck.com notes that patients having a seizure should be placed on their right side to protect them from aspiration. Merck also points out another rare fatal complication of seizure disorders: sudden unexplained death in epilepsy, where the cause of death is unknown. Another possible life-threatening complication of seizure disorders is described by the Harvard Medical School Patient Education Center--a condition known as status epilepticus. In this condition, a seizure is prolonged and does not resolve spontaneously. This places the patient at a risk of permanent brain damage and failure of vital organs such as the heart and kidneys.
