Abstract

DRUG UTILIZATION EVALUATION OF ANTI-EPILEPTICS IN A TERTIARY CARE TEACHING HOSPITAL

S. Parveen*, Dr. M. Madan Mohan Rao, MD*, Dr. R. Venkataramudu, MD* S. Arshiya Banu, T. Lavanya, J. Anbhuraj, K. Kranthi Kumar

Abstract

Neurological diseases are gaining more importance in the developingcountries like India in recent times. Epilepsy is one of the mostimportant neurological disorders. It describes a condition in which aperson experience recurrent seizures due to a chronic, underlyingprocess. A Prospective Observational study was carried out at RajivGandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Kadapa. A total of 65 patientswere selected in a 6 months period based upon the inclusion andexclusion criteria. In the present study we made an attempt to conductDrug utilization evaluation (DUE) in epileptic patients to improvetreatment rationality in a tertiary care teaching hospital. Demographicand prescription data was collected and assessed based upon the DUE.From that we found that generalized seizures were the most prominentseizure encountered and monotherapy was the most frequently used treatment in all types ofepileptic seizures. Our data suggests that unknown cause and stress is main offender ofsymptomatic epilepsy. Furthermore, we observed that there was some inappropriate usage ofAnti-epileptic drugs which comprises drug-drug interaction and incorrect dosage regimen. wefound generalized seizures were the most prominent seizure encountered and monotherapywas the most frequently used treatment in all types of epileptic seizures. Most commonlyprescribed drug was Phenytoin. We found ADRs, medication errors and drug interactions in this study and we did interventions too. Through this study we brought awareness about DUE in both health care professionals and in patients.

Keywords: Epilepsy, Anti-epileptic drugs, Drug utilization evaluation, Monotherapy.