RESUMO
A prospective observational study was conducted to assess the antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) usage, drug related problems and medication adherence behavior among enrolled epileptic patients in a South Indian tertiary care teaching hospital. The prescriptions from 439 patients containing AEDs were analyzed for number of AEDs prescribed and for potential drug related problems. Morisky’s Medication adherence scale was applied to study the medication adherence behaviour of enrolled patients and those patients were also monitored to identify the adverse drugs reactions. Monotherapy was initiated in 61.9% patients, and when proven ineffective in controlling seizures dual therapy was initiated in 28.7% of patients and three drug therapy in 8.4% patients. Phenytoin (42.1%) was the most frequently prescribed AED followed by valproic acid (41.0%). Forty fi ve adverse drugs reactions were reported during the study period. Phenytoin (53.3%) and valproic acid (26.7%) were the major drugs implicated for adverse drugs reactions. During the follow up visits, 96.6% of the patients were highly adherent to the prescribed medications, although less than half of the patients attended outpatient follow up.