Prescription pattern of antiepileptic drugs in indoor patients at tertiary care hospital in Haryana, India

ABSTRACT

Background: Epilepsy is a challenging medical problem in India with an annual incidence of 27.27 per 100,000 population and prevalence of 572.8 per 100,000. People with epilepsy require prolonged treatment and monitoring. The main goal in the treatment of epilepsy should be adequate control of seizures, without causing any life-threatening reactions due to the medications. This study was done to get an insight into the prescription pattern of anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) in different types of epilepsy.Methods: A prospective study was carried out for six months (Feb to June 2016) in admitted patients in super speciality ward (Lala Shyam Lal) in neurology department of PGIMS, Rohtak, Haryana. The prescription data of 100 patients of seizures was analysed.Results: Idiopathic generalised epilepsy was commonest type of epilepsy (42%) and sodium valproate was the commonest drug prescribed for its treatment (66.66%) followed by phenytoin (23.33%) Symptomatic epilepsy was second commonest seizure (30%) and phenytoin (60%) was the commonest drug prescribed for it followed by sodium valproate (30%). Common adverse effects associated with anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) were nausea, drowsiness, weight gain, diplopia and ataxia.Conclusions: Idiopathic generalized epilepsy was the commonest type of epilepsy recorded and sodium valproate was the commonest prescribed drug.