People with epilepsy have an increased risk of early death, according to a new study ahead of Purple Day.

Purple Day is celebrated annually on March 26 to raise epilepsy awareness.

The study, published in the journal Neurology, showed that people with epilepsy had more than twice the risk of death compared to the overall population.

The increased risk was even higher in younger people in the study of 20,095 epilepsy patients.

The increased risk also varies depending on where they live, the number of medications they take and what other diseases they may have, the researchers said.

"Our research found an increased risk even among those who do not have other health problems and are taking only one medication to control their seizures," said study author Seo-Young Lee, MD, PhD, of Kangwon National University in Chuncheon, South Korea.

Epilepsy accounts for a significant proportion of the world affecting 50 million people worldwide.

Each year, an estimated 5 million people are diagnosed with epilepsy.

According to Ravindra Srivastava, Director, Neurosciences, Primus Super Speciality Hospital, in India, more than 10 million patients are suffering with epilepsy, 20 per cent out of 50 million worldwide.

"If you witness someone having a seizure, it is essential to stay calm and keep the person safe, protect the person's head, turn the person on their side to help prevent choking, time the seizure, do not restrain the person and stay with the person until they are fully alert and oriented," Srivastava said. (KB/IANS)