Fifty-three hospital outpatients with epilepsy were randomly allocated to either a control or an intervention group. Patients in the intervention group were subjected to a combination of compliance-improving strategies: patient counselling, a special medication container, self-recording of medication intake and seizures, and mailed reminders to collect prescription refills and attend clinic appointments. Compliance with anticonvulsant therapy (as measured by plasma anticonvulsant levels and prescription refill frequencies), and seizure frequency, were evaluated in each patient prior to intervention and 6 months afterwards. Patient compliance and clinical control improved significantly in the intervention group patients. Seizure frequency was, on average, halved following intervention. Compliance and seizure frequency were unaltered in the control group. Intervention failed to improve clinic appointment keeping. Poor compliance with drug therapy commonly confounds the treatment of epilepsy. This study shows that compliance can be improved and seizure frequency lessened by strategies that are easily incorporated into the routine management of epileptic patients.

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Research Division:	Biomedical and Clinical Sciences
Research Group:	Pharmacology and pharmaceutical sciences
Research Field:	Clinical pharmacy and pharmacy practice
Objective Division:	Health
Objective Group:	Evaluation of health and support services
Objective Field:	Evaluation of health and support services not elsewhere classified
UTAS Author:	Peterson, GM (Professor Gregory Peterson)
UTAS Author:	McLean, S (Professor Stuart McLean)
ID Code:	111082
Year Published:	1984
Web of Science® Times Cited:	66
Deposited By:	College Office - CHM
Deposited On:	2016-08-30
Last Modified:	2016-08-30
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