Yirga Legesse Niriayo, Tesfay Gebregziabher, Gebre Teklemariam Demoz, Nigusse Tesfay, Kidu Gidey.
Abstract
Although antiseizure medications play a crucial role in the management of epilepsy, their benefit can be compromised due to drug-related problems. Drug therapy problems can lead to poor seizure control, reduced quality of life, and increased morbidity and mortality in patients with epilepsy. However, in our setting, there is limited knowledge about drug therapy problems and the factors that contribute to them.
Introduction
Antiseizure medications are the mainstay of therapy in the management of epilepsy and are indicated for patients who have experienced two or more unprovoked seizures, or a single unprovoked seizure accompanied by additional factors that increase the risk of seizure recurrence. The ultimate goal in managing epilepsy is to achieve complete seizure control without inducing adverse effects.
Materials and Methods:
A prospective observational study was conducted at the neurology clinic of Ayder Comprehensive Specialized Hospital (ACSH) in the Tigray region of Northern Ethiopia between January 2019 and April 2019. ACSH is a teaching and referral hospital that serves approximately 10 million people in the catchment area.
Discussion
Epilepsy management in Ethiopia faces significant challenges due to limited healthcare resources, a shortage of trained medical professionals, and societal stigma. Access to specialized epilepsy services, including diagnostic tools, antiseizure medications, and adequately trained healthcare professionals, is limited, especially in rural areas. The availability and affordability of antiseizure medications, which are crucial for managing epilepsy, often face challenges.
Citation: Niriayo YL, Gebregziabher T, Demoz GT, Tesfay N, Gidey K (2024) Drug therapy problems and contributing factors among patients with epilepsy. PLoS ONE 19(3): e0299968. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0299968
Editor: Tai-Heng Chen, Kaohsuing Medical University Hospital, TAIWAN
Received: July 19, 2023; Accepted: February 19, 2024; Published: March 7, 2024.
Copyright: © 2024 Niriayo et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Data Availability: All relevant data are within the manuscript and its Supporting Information files.
Funding: The author(s) received no specific funding for this work.
Competing interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
