Missing Doses of Medications Rarely Raise Seizure Risk

Source: Annals of neurology

Summary

This study looked at whether missing doses of anti-seizure medications (ASMs) affects the short-term risk of seizures in adults with drug-resistant epilepsy, which means they have frequent seizures that are hard to control. Researchers followed 27 participants, who were mostly in their late twenties, for about 10 months. They used smartphone apps to track when participants took their medications and when they had seizures.

The findings showed that for most participants, missing a dose of their medication did not significantly increase the risk of having a seizure right away. Only a couple of participants showed a slight connection between missed doses and seizures. However, the overall analysis indicated that seizure occurrences were more closely related to a simplified forecasting method than to whether participants adhered to their medication schedule.

This research is important because it suggests that occasional missed doses may not lead to immediate seizure risks for people with drug-resistant epilepsy. However, it also highlights the importance of taking medications consistently over time to manage seizures effectively. While this study provides some reassurance about infrequent lapses, it does not change the need for patients to maintain regular medication adherence for long-term control of their condition.

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