title: Antiepileptic drugs patterns in elderly inpatients in a Brazilian tertiary center, Salvador, Brazil.
abstract: Epilepsy is very prevalent among elderly inpatients and treatment is far from ideal.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To analyze prescribing patterns of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) for hospitalized elderly with epilepsy, their relations with comorbidities and comedications.
  
  
  METHODS
  We assessed prescription regimen of elderly patients that were under AED use for treatment of epileptic seizures, during hospitalization. One hundred and nine patients were enrolled. AED regimen was categorized into two groups: Group 1 defined as appropriate (carbamazepine, oxcarbazepine, valproic acid, gabapentin, clobazan and lamotrigine) and Group 2 as inappropriate (phenytoin and phenobarbital).
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found 73.4% of patients used inappropriate AEDs (p<0.001). Monotherapy was prescribed for 71.6% of patients. The most common comorbidity was hypertension. Potentially proconvulsant drugs as comedications were used for nearly half of patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Inappropriate AED therapy was commonly prescribed regimen for elderly inpatients. Some recommendations are discussed for a better care of elderly inpatients with epilepsy.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Neurologia, Hospital São Rafael, Salvador, BA, Brazil.
authors.forename: Telma Rocha de
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Assis
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Neurologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Osvaldo J M
authors.initials: OJ
authors.lastname: Nascimento
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Neurologia, Hospital São Rafael, Salvador, BA, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gersonita
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Neurologia, Hospital São Rafael, Salvador, BA, Brazil.
authors.forename: Aroldo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bacellar
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001938:Brazil; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D057970:Inappropriate Prescribing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012640:Seizures / Q000188:drug therapy; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants