title: Drug utilization profile in adult patients with refractory epilepsy at a tertiary referral center.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the utilization profile of antiepileptic drugs in a population of adult patients with refractory epilepsy attending a tertiary center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive analyses of data were obtained from the medical records of 112 patients. Other clinical and demographic characteristics were also registered.
  
  
  RESULTS
  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).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The pattern of use of individual drugs, although consistent with current treatment guidelines, is strongly influenced by the public health system.
authors.affiliation: Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São PauloSP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Priscila de
authors.initials: Pd
authors.lastname: Freitas-Lima
authors.affiliation: Ribeirão Preto Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São PauloSP, Brazil.
authors.forename: André de Oliveira
authors.initials: Ade O
authors.lastname: Baldoni
authors.affiliation: Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São PauloSP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Veriano
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Alexandre
authors.affiliation: Ribeirão Preto Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São PauloSP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Leonardo Regis Leira
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.affiliation: Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São PauloSP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Américo Ceiki
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Sakamoto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001938:Brazil; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants