Background Available data from witnessed and monitored sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) cases postulate that ictal central apnea (ICA) and ictal arrhythmias are the main causes of SUDEP. ICA is a frequent semiological feature of focal epilepsy and occasionally the only clinical manifestation of focal seizures. The aim of this study was to assess the frequency of ICA and cardiac arrhythmias in epileptic patients and to study the risk factors and predictors of their occurrence. Methods Fifty patients diagnosed with epilepsy were recruited in this study. All participants underwent prolonged surface video electroencephalography (VEEG) study using the 10-20 international electrode system with concomitant polysomnography including electrocardiography (ECG), heart rate monitoring, and peripheral capillary oxygen saturation (SpO2) using pulse oximetry. Also inductance plethysmography was used to record chest and abdominal excursions. Results Complete datasets were available in 50 patients and 112 seizures were recorded. ICA occurred exclusively in focal epilepsy (P <0.001). Temporal lobe epilepsy was associated with higher occurrence of ICA in comparison to extratemporal epilepsy (P <0.001). In addition, seizures lateralized to the left hemisphere were associated with higher occurrence of ICA (P <0.001). On the other side, tachycardia was found to be more associated with temporal lobe epilepsy and left hemispheric seizure onset (P <0.001). Conclusion ICA occurred exclusively in focal seizures and tachycardia magnitude was more with focal seizures, and both had higher percentage in temporal lobe epilepsy in comparison to other types and in seizures with left hemispheric onset.