A Study on Prescribing Patter of Anti-Epileptic Drugs in a Tertiary Care Hospital

Abstract

Epilepsy is an ancient disorder and has been described historically from the times of the ancient Babylonians to the modern day. Although epilepsy is characterized by seizures that are unpredictable in frequency, epilepsy is a common neurological disorder that affects people of all ages. The prospective observational study was carried out for a period of 6 months. The study was conducted in Pediatrics department in a tertiary care hospital. The present study aimed to assess prescribing patter of anti-epileptic drugs in a tertiary care hospital. Combination of two AEDs patients were more 49 (75.38%) as compared to Monotherapy patients were 16 (24.61 %). ECG patients were more 29 (44.61%) as compared to CT scan patients were 14 (21.53%), Blood test patients were 22(33.84%). Carbamazepine prescribed drugs patients were more 15(23.07%) as compared to Phenobarbital prescribed drugs patients were 10(15.38%), Phenytoin prescribed drugs patients were 14(21.53Sodium valproate prescribed drugs patients were 14(21.53%), Levetiracetam prescribed drugs patients were 12(18.46%). Newer drugs have been increasingly added to the list of antiepileptic drugs, but most of them serve as adjuvant to older ones and the important drugs used as monotherapy are still the older ones. The present study highlights the pattern of the use of older and newer AEDs resulting in good seizure control in different types of epilepsy. Prescription patterns are consistent with existing evidences regarding the continuum of efficacy of individual newer and older AEDs in different seizure types.