Presentation (CTI)

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the utilization pattern of anti-epileptic drugs among patients with different types of epileptic seizures in a tertiary care hospital.
METHODS: A retrospective, cross-sectional study was conducted by reviewing case records of patients diagnosed with epilepsy and admitted to the male and female neurology departments of a tertiary care hospital. Data related to demographic characteristics, seizure type, family history, prescribed AEDs, comorbidities, and length of hospital stay were collected and analyzed.
RESULTS: Epilepsy prevalence was higher among patients aged 21-50 years, with a greater occurrence in males compared to females. Partial seizures were the most common type (85.86%), followed by generalized seizures. Among 191 patients, 29.84% reported a positive family history of epilepsy. Patients were prescribed between one and six AEDs during hospitalization. Levetiracetam was the most frequently prescribed AED (72.77%), followed by clobazam (43.45%), phenytoin (35%), midazolam (24.08%), and sodium valproate (23.5%). The total number of drugs per prescription ranged from two to fifteen due to associated comorbidities. Except for gabapentin and pregabalin, most AEDs were prescribed as monotherapy. Patients receiving monotherapy had a longer average hospital stay compared to those on combination therapy, suggesting that combination therapy may contribute to reduced inpatient duration.
CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights prescribing trends and seizure patterns among epileptic patients in a tertiary care setting. Partial seizures were more prevalent, and a family history of epilepsy emerged as a significant risk factor. Levetiracetam, phenytoin, sodium valproate, clobazam, and midazolam were the most commonly utilized AEDs. Combination therapy appeared to reduce hospitalization duration compared to monotherapy. These findings support the rational use of AEDs to optimize clinical outcomes in epilepsy management.