Expanding the Use of Seizure Apps for Epilepsy: Jessica Fesler, MD, MEd

WATCH TIME: 2 minutes

"The apps do quite a bit with self-management or helping patients take ownership of their disease. That’s probably where they’re the strongest. But still, there’s room to grow there in helping them have all the tools they need to live better day-to-day with seizures.”

There are several different functions of seizure apps that can assist with the daily responsibilities patients with epilepsy have, mainly by recording and tracking their seizures and helping alert them when to take medications. Seizure diaries, which are heavily used in clinical trials, are now available through these apps and can be accessed on smartphones and tablets. Despite the advantages these apps appear to have, some, including Jessica Fesler, MD, MEd, are hoping for more.

Fesler, an epileptologist at Cleveland Clinic’s Epilepsy Center, believes there is untapped potential for these apps in the care paradigm, including seizure detection—which is not an uncommon thought, considering there are already devices that are FDA-approved to do the same thing. At the 2021 American Epilepsy Society (AES) annual meeting, December 3-7, in Chicago, Illinois, Fesler delivered a talk that touched on the topic of seizure apps, where they fit in the management of the disease, and where their roles could expand.

She sat down with NeurologyLive® at AES 2021 to discuss her thoughts behind the reach of these seizure apps, the challenges that come with trying to expand into seizure detection, and the need to include more social support.