Summary Summary Short summary of a recent publication, written by scientific experts. Published: 01 Feb 2023

Rates of antiseizure medication adherence and the associated risk of sudden unexplained death in epilepsy

  • In this retrospective cohort study of 1,187 participants treated with antiseizure medication (ASM), ASM adherence was categorized as either good (51%), declining (24%), poor (16%), or very poor (9%).
  • An increased risk for sudden unexplained death in epilepsy (SUDEP) was observed for individuals with declining ASM adherence, with the risk increasing over time (HR 8.43 at 1 year, HR 9.17 at 3 years).
  • The authors concluded that ASM adherence is a significant challenge in managing epilepsy with half of patients demonstrating some degree of non-adherence. This has negative impacts on patients including a significant increased risk of SUDEP.