This condition occurs in the general population, however (though no one quite understands why) epileptics are at special risk of dying suddenly without any physiological cause. the risk is higher by 50% in epileptics. the risk seems to be higher in people who take multiple anti-convulsants but it is not understood whether the risk is within the drugs themselves, or due to the fact that those taking more than one drug tend to have more severe forms of epilepsy.