ADVERSE EFFECTS OF ANTIEPILEPTIC DRUGS AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN EPILEPSY PATIENTS: A CLINICAL OBSERVATIONAL STUDY

Abstract

Long-term antiepileptic therapy remains the primary foundation for seizure control in patients with epilepsy; however, treatment-induced adverse drug reactions continue to represent a severe clinical challenge globally. Beyond their immediate neurological manifestations, medication-related side effects deeply impair long-term emotional well-being, higher cognitive performance, and subjective social functioning. The present study systematically evaluated the prevalence of chronic adverse effects associated with diverse antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) and comprehensively analyzed their direct influence on health-related quality of life in adult patients with epilepsy.

A single-center clinical observational study was conducted among 35 adult patients diagnosed with various forms of epilepsy who had been receiving stable antiepileptic treatment regimens for at least six consecutive months. The thorough clinical assessment protocol included a detailed neurological examination, structured evaluation of treatment-related subjective adverse effects, and quality-of-life analysis utilizing the validated Quality of Life in Epilepsy Inventory (QOLIE-31).

At least one prominent adverse effect directly associated with long-term AED therapy was actively reported by 74.2% of the total study participants. The most commonly identified clinical complaints among the patient cohort were chronic fatigue, debilitating daytime somnolence, systemic dizziness, objective cognitive slowing, and persistent mood instability. Furthermore, patients receiving combined antiepileptic therapy or polytherapy demonstrated substantially poorer drug tolerability and lower overall quality-of-life indicators than those successfully treated with tailored monotherapy.

The findings of this observational study strongly suggest that the adverse effects of modern AEDs significantly affect psychosocial adaptation, vocational efficiency, and everyday autonomous functioning in epilepsy patients. Strategic optimization of antiepileptic therapy with meticulous attention to individual treatment tolerability profiles may significantly improve long-term clinical outcomes, medication adherence, and global patient quality of life.