Nonadherence to Antiepileptic Medications: Still a Major Issue to be Addressed in the Management of Epilepsy

Context: Medication nonadherence is a significant barrier in achieving seizure freedom in patients with epilepsy. There is a deficiency of data about the reasons for nonadherence in Saudi population. Aims: The aim of this study is to prove the existence of nonadherence to antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) in patients with epilepsy and identify the responsible factors. Setting and Design: This is a prospective, cross-sectional study carried in the Department of Neurology at King Fahd Hospital of the University affiliated with Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University. Subjects and Methods: Patients of all ages diagnosed to have epilepsy as mentioned in their medical record and taking antiepileptic medications were interviewed using a questionnaire. Statistical Analysis Used: Statistical analysis was performed using IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 21 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). Statistical significance was defined as two-tailed with a P ≤ 0.05. Results: Among 152 participants, 52.6% were male and 47.4% were female. Mean age of the patients was 28 ± 14.3 (mean ± standard deviation) years. Of 152 patients, 48.7% were found to be nonadherent to their AED therapy. The most commonly identified factor was forgetfulness. Nonadherence was significantly associated with poor seizure control (P = 0.002). Conclusion: Nonadherence to the AED is common among patients with epilepsy and affects seizure control adversely

REPRESENTATIVE EYE DISEASES AND THEIR PREVALENCE IN SAUDI ARABIA

Many patients with symptomatic eye conditions present initially to their primary care physician. Eye issues account for 2-3% of all primary care office visits. Knowing how to respond when these patients come is critical for the family physician, as is knowing when to refer them to an ophthalmologist for additional care. Family doctors should be able to spot eye disorders that can cause vision loss and necessitate an immediate referral to an ophthalmologist. A comprehensive history and physical examination are essential in reaching a diagnosis and determining the severity of the eye problem. Visual changes, length of symptoms, presence or absence of a foreign body, history of trauma or recent eye surgery, and concomitant symptoms such as a headache, nausea, or ocular discharge should all be addressed in the history. Almost 50% of all eye disorders presented to a family physician. Comprehensive treatment of such conditions can often be provided in the primary care setting. Patients with persistent or severe conditions, particularly those involving foreign bodies and corneal abrasions due to high-velocity injuries, should be referred for immediate care by an ophthalmologist. This review aims to review most prevalent eye complaints in primary health care centers in Saudi Arabia