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Seizure disorder cause of ASU student's death


A San Pablo Hall resident found dead in his room in April suffocated due to a seizure disorder, according a county medical examiner report released earlier this month.

Then-freshman Brian Carver was found face down in his bed by his roommate on the morning of April 29. The autopsy report lists the cause of death as "positional asphyxia," a form of suffocation caused when one's position prevents him or her from breathing adequately.

Carver's roommate reportedly told police Carver had a medical history of epilepsy, and the autopsy report states he had a "clinical history of seizure disorder."

Investigators reportedly found epilepsy medication at the scene, and a "subtheraputic level" of a drug used to treat seizure disorder was listed in the toxicology report.

Sudden, unexpected death among people with epilepsy is "thankfully rare," said Dr. David Labiner, director of the Arizona Comprehensive Epilepsy Program.

But he said unexpected deaths occur more often in patients with poorly controlled epilepsy .

"I think the important point here is not that this rarely occurs," Labiner said, "but rather that seizures can be dangerous and therefore important to treat."

Reach the reporter at brian.indrelunas@asu.edu.


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