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This study will investigate the potential benefits of rose scent in reducing the risk of Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP) in patients with epilepsy. Participants will engage in their routine inpatient observational EEG monitoring for 24 hours followed by an additional 24 hours of observational EEG monitoring with continuous exposure to rose scent, during which an essential oil diffusor with rose scent will be placed in their hospital room. During these 48 total hours of the study, participants will wear a respiratory monitoring belt across their upper chest to measure their breathing. Potential risks include distress or discomfort when smelling the rose scent used in the study, a physical reaction to the rose scent, and discomfort or feelings of restrictiveness when wearing the respiratory monitoring belt. The total time commitment of the study is 48 consecutive hours over the course of the participants' inpatient EMU stay, during which there will be no restrictions on daily activities during the standard inpatient EMU admission except that participants must wear their respiratory belt for a majority of this 2-day period.
Epilepsy is a common condition which affects over 3 million people in the US. Patients with uncontrolled epilepsy have a lifetime risk of sudden unexpected death (SUDEP) of 35%, which is greatest in those under 40 years of age. The exact mechanisms and causes are not understood but can be due to underlying conditions which affect the heart and brain, which may lead to dangerous heart rhythms and death. Some of these conditions which affect heart and brain have an identifiable genetic cause. This study aims to identify known genetic causes of heart rhythm and sudden death related disorders in patients with epilepsy.