-Using the pilocarpine model of epilepsy, we investigated the effects of alcohol consumption on the frequency of seizures in animals with epilepsy as well the underlying a possible association between alcohol intake and sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) occurrence. Rats were divided randomly into two groups: (A) rats with epilepsy and (B) rats with epilepsy that received a daily dose of ethanol solution (350 mg kg -1 , i.p.) for 30 days. The basal frequency of seizures observed in the A and B groups during the first 30 days were 3.4±1.5 and 3.2±1.9 seizures per week per animal, respectively. In B group, it was observed a significant seizure increase (11.6±5.3) during the first 2 weeks of alcohol administration and quite interesting, one rat died suddenly after a generalized tonic-clonic seizure during this period. We concluded in our experimental study that exist a possible association between alcohol abuse and SUDEP occurrence.KEy WoRDS: epilepsy, alcohol, heart, seizure, SUDEP. Consumo de álcool e morte súbita em epilepsia: uma abordagem experimentalResumo -Utilizando o modelo de epilepsia induzido pela pilocarpina, investigamos os efeitos do consumo de álcool sobre a frequência de crises epilépticas em animais com epilepsia, como também uma possível associação entre a ingestão de álcool e ocorrência de morte súbita e inesperada nas epilepsias (SUDEP). os animais foram randomicamente divididos em dois grupos: (A) ratos com epilepsia e (B) ratos com epilepsia que receberam uma dose diária de etanol (350 mg kg -1 , i.p.) por 30 dias consecutivos. A frequência basal de crises epilépticas observadas nos grupos A e B durante os primeiros 30 dias foram de 3,4±1,5 e 3,2±1,9 crises por semana/animal, respectivamente. No grupo B, ocorreu aumento significativo na frequência de crises (11,6±5,3) durante as duas primeiras semanas de administração do álcool e de forma interessante, um animal morreu subitamente após uma crise generalizada tônico-clonica durante esse período. Concluímos em nossa abordagem experimental que existe uma possível associação entre o consumo de álcool e a ocorrência de SUDEP. PAlAvRAS-ChAvE: epilepsia, álcool, coração, crise epiléptica, SUDEP. Epilepsy is one of the most prevalent neurological conditions 1 and people with epilepsy are more likely to die prematurely than those without epilepsy, and the most common epilepsy-related category of death is sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) 1,2 . The cause of SUDEP is still unknown; however, the most commonly suggested mechanisms are cardiac abnormalities during and between seizures 2,3 . Additionally, a number of associated factors for SUDEP have been reported but the results are not wholly consistent between studies. These include refractoriness of the epilepsy, presence of generalized tonic-clonic seizures, polytherapy with antiepileptic