YouTuber Annabelle Ham, 22, died after an 'epileptic event.' Sudden deaths in people with epilepsy are rare but a reality.

• YouTuber Annabelle Ham died following an 'epileptic event' aged 22, her family said on Tuesday.
• What's known as sudden unexpected death in epilepsy affects 1 in 1000 people per year.
• Not much is known about its cause but there are ways to reduce the risk of SUDEP.

YouTuber Annabelle Ham died of an "epileptic event," her family said on Tuesday.

In a post on the 22-year-old's Instagram account, the family wrote: "We're writing this with heavy, heavy hearts. Annabelle experienced an epileptic event and has gone on to the gates of heaven. She struggled with this for a long time and wanted to raise awareness for it, which we will do in honor of her."

The Kennesaw State University student from Atlanta had over 78,000 YouTube subscribers and 75,200 Instagram followers, and was a member of the Alpha Omicron Pi sorority. She mainly posted lifestyle-based content, often vlogging her daily life as well as sharing beauty tips and hauls.

Epilepsy is a brain disorder that causes recurring, unprovoked seizures. A seizure is a sudden surge of abnormal and excessive electrical activity in the brain, which affects the way brain cells send messages to each other. This can result in involuntary changes in body movement or function, sensation, behavior or awareness.

Around 3.4 million people live with epilepsy in the US, according to CDC data.

Ham's sister Alexandria Ham said on Instagram: "There will never be words for how heartbroken my family and I are. Annabelle was such a light to the world. A spark-plug."

Her other sister Amelia Ham wrote on Instagram: "I can't even put into words how hard this is. You would never think something like this would or could happen to you until it does."

Although rare, epilepsy-related deaths do happen

An official cause of death has not been released, but what's known as sudden unexpected death in epilepsy occurs in approximately one per 1000 people with the condition each year, according to the charity SUDEP Action. The number of cases is similar in both children and adults, and the risk of SUDEP increases if you have a more complex, rare form of epilepsy, according to the charity. 

It is more common in people with frequent seizures but can occur in people who have had very few seizures, it says. Certain factors such as having tonic-cluster seizures, seizures during sleep, not taking epilepsy medication regularly, and living alone, can increase the risk of SUDEP, according to Epilepsy Action.

The exact cause of SUDEP is unknown but possible factors could include a seizure causing pauses in breathing or a dangerous heart rhythm, according to the CDC. 

Ways to reduce the risk of SUDEP include taking prescribed medication daily and knowing what to do if a dose is missed, keeping a diary of seizures, and avoiding situations that might trigger seizures such as lack of sleep, stress or drinking too much alcohol.