Drug utilization profile in adult patients with refractory epilepsy at a tertiary referral center

• Published in: Arquivos de neuro-psiquiatria 2013-11, Vol.71 (11), p.856-861
• Main Authors: Freitas-Lima, Priscila de, Baldoni, André de Oliveira, Alexandre, Veriano, Pereira, Leonardo Regis Leira, Sakamoto, Américo Ceiki
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Age Factors; Anticonvulsants - administration & dosage; Brazil; Drug Prescriptions - statistics & numerical data; Drug Therapy, Combination - statistics & numerical data; epilepsia; epilepsia refrataria; Epilepsy - drug therapy; farmacos antiepilepticos; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; NEUROSCIENCES; politerapia; PSYCHIATRY; Tertiary Care Centers - statistics & numerical data; utilizacao de farmacos
• ISSN: 0004-282X; 1678-4227; 1678-4227; 0004-282X
• DOI: 10.1590/0004-282X20130169

To evaluate the utilization profile of antiepileptic drugs in a population of adult patients with refractory epilepsy attending a tertiary center. Descriptive analyses of data were obtained from the medical records of 112 patients. Other clinical and demographic characteristics were also registered. Polytherapies with ≥3 antiepileptic drugs were prescribed to 60.7% of patients. Of the old agents, carbamazepine and clobazam were the most commonly prescribed (72.3% and 58.9% of the patients, respectively). Among the new agents, lamotrigine was the most commonly prescribed (36.6% of the patients). At least one old agent was identified in 103 out of the 104 polytherapies, while at least one new agent was prescribed to 70.5% of the population. The most prevalent combination was carbamazepine + clobazam + lamotrigine. The mean AED load found was 3.3 (range 0.4-7.7). The pattern of use of individual drugs, although consistent with current treatment guidelines, is strongly influenced by the public health system.