Compliance in epilepsy. Strategies to enhance adherence to a medical regimen.

Treatment of medical disorders and prevention of disease are hampered by the all too frequent lack of adherence with the prescribed regimen. Delivery of health care to a broad-based population at reasonable cost and with high quality can be enhanced by use of multiple strategies to aid compliance. No single technique is best for all patients. Education, dose planning, appointment scheduling and monitoring coupled with communication between patient and physician or staff are basic strategies for development of immediate and long-term adherence behavior.