Doctors have assumed for years that forgetting seizure medicines can have bad outcomes. Now, a study in Epilepsy & Behavior (Ettinger and colleagues, 2009, volume 14, pages 324-329) backs this belief up with evidence. The study looked at an insurance and pharmacy database that had (anonymous) information on over 17,000 seniors with epilepsy. Their medical costs and numbers of doctor visits, emergency room visits and hospitalizations could be related to compliance in taking their seizure medicines. The medication compliance was measured by seeing if pill prescriptions were renewed as often as they should have been. About 41% did not obtain their pills as prescribed. Hospital visits for seizures occurred in 12% of people who did not take medications as prescribed, versus 8% of those who did. Health expenses were an average of $2674 more in people who missed medications. Forgetting pills does matter! See our section on medication compliance to avoid the consequences of missing seizures.

Robert S. Fisher, M.D., Ph.D.
Editor-in-Chief, epilepsy.com