An observational study of pattern of antiepileptic drugs prescribed to patients attending epilepsy outpatient department in tertiary care hospital

Abstract

Background: Epilepsy is a group of non-communicable neurological disorders characterized by recurrent epileptic seizures. The choice of the most appropriate drug treatment for a patient with seizures depends upon the accurate classification of the seizures and the type of epilepsy or epileptic syndromes. Present study was aimed to analyze the pattern of antiepileptic drugs prescribed to patients attending epilepsy at outpatient department in tertiary care hospital. Material and Methods: Present study was single-center, Crosssectional, Observational, Descriptive study , conducted in patients diagnosed OR having past history with seizure disorder and treated with antiepileptic drugs by neurologist, receiving at least one Antiepileptic medication.

Results: Out of the total 600 patients enrolled, the majority i.e., 393(65.50%) were males, from the age group of 20 - 40 years (43.66%)
followed by age group of 41 to 60 years (34.33%). Majority patients were diagnosed with GTCS (39.5%), followed by 154 with Complex Partial (25.6%), Out of total 786 AEDs, carbamazepine was most commonly prescribed drug (34.2 %), followed by valproate (20.4 %) and levetiracetam (14.2 %). Monotherapy was used in 454(75.66%) number of patients whereas polytherapy was used in 146 (24.34%) number of patients. Out of 146 polytherapy used, dual therapy was used in 108 (73.7%) patients. 721 (91.73%) drugs were prescribed
using Generic name and 65 (8.27%) drugs were prescribed using Brand name. The average cost per prescription was 268.25 INR, out of which, the cost borne by the hospital was 40.26 (15%) & the cost borne by the patient was 227.98 INR (85%). Conclusion: Monotherapy
was given to majority (75.66%) of patients, as recommended by NICE Guidelines to start the treatment of epilepsy with monotherapy and change to polytherapy only in unresponsive & resistant cases