For about 30% of epilepsy patients on antiepileptic drugs， the progression of epileptic seizures are not completely under control. The treatment for epileptic seizures is difficult and the duration of symptoms is relatively long. The brain lesions such as hippocampal sclerosis can be seen by imaging examination. The drug resistance mechanism of refractory epilepsy is a key topic in current medical research. By investigating the drug resistance mechanism， we can start to provide empirical basis for clinical treatment. In this paper， both Chinese and international research progress of the drug resistance mechanism in refractory epilepsy patients are reviewed and summarized， so as to further understand the disease and provide reference for the future research on targeted treatment strategies.