An Evaluation of Factors Influencing Adherence to Antiepileptic Medications (AEDs): A Cross-sectional Hospital-Based Study—An Overview and Recommendations to Improve

in HS patients, providing a rationale for conducting further exploratory studies. Objective: Long-term treatment by antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) is vital for effective control of seizures in patients with epilepsy ( p WE). The present study was per-formed to measure extent and factors influencing adherence to AEDs. Methods: The present study was a prospective, cross-sectional study, involving PWE reporting at a tertiary care hospital. The extent of adherence to AEDs was mea-sured using Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS). Data from 451 patients with confirmed diagnosis of epilepsy were subjected to univariate analysis using Chi-square test to observe association between AED adherence and different variables. Further the predictors of adherence were analyzed using binary regression analysis. Results: There were 251 (55.7%) male and 198 (43.9%) female PWE. The extent of adherence to AEDs was high among 326 (72.3%) and low in 125 (27.7%). The socioeconomic status ( p = 0.043) and type of epilepsy ( p = 0.033) were found to be significantly associated with AED adherence. However, no significant difference was observed between adherence and age, gender, marital status, epilepsy duration, number, and type of AEDs, and occurrence of ad-verse drug reactions. Patients with focal epilepsy and those from the middle/lower to middle socioeconomic classes were less likely to be nonadherent. The primary reason for nonad-herence was forgetfulness. Conclusion: Forgetfulness was a primary preven-tive factor for AED nonadherence. We recommend methods to improve the same using multiple measures to maximize adherence and minimize development of pharmaco-resis-tance to AEDs To evaluate the anticonvulsant properties in albino rats by pentylenetetrazole ( p TZ) model. generalized seizures. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was abnormal in 53.6% of cases. Granuloma-tous lesion was dominant neuroimaging finding in our study. Conclusion: This study concluded that males of second and third decades from rural Background are highly prone to epilepsy. Infectious causes like neurocysticercosis and tu-berculoma are predominant etiologies in our area. Neuroimaging plays an important role in establishing and localizing etiology of seizure. Any patient coming with history of epilepsy or suspected as a case of newly diagnosed epilepsy must be investigated with neuroimaging for further management.