Utilization of antiepileptic drugs in Israel

Erez Berman; Eli Marom; Dana Ekstein; Ilan Blatt; Sara Eyal

doi:10.1016/j.yebeh.2016.05.004

Utilization of antiepileptic drugs in Israel

Epilepsy Behav. 2016 Aug:61:82-85. doi: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2016.05.004. Epub 2016 Jun 23.

Authors

Erez Berman¹, Eli Marom², Dana Ekstein³, Ilan Blatt⁴, Sara Eyal⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pharmacology, Israel Ministry of Health, Jerusalem, Israel. Electronic address: erezberm@post.bgu.ac.il.
² Department of Pharmacology, Israel Ministry of Health, Jerusalem, Israel. Electronic address: ELI.MAROM@MOH.GOV.IL.
³ Department of Neurology, The Agnes Ginges Center of Neurogenetics, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel. Electronic address: dekstein@hadassah.org.il.
⁴ Department of Neurology, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. Electronic address: Ilan.Blatt@sheba.health.gov.il.
⁵ Institute for Drug Research, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel. Electronic address: sarae@ekmd.huji.ac.il.

PMID: 27344499
DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2016.05.004

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of the study was to identify trends in utilization of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) over time in a nation-wide population in Israel.

Methods: Data on AED utilization (for all indications) for the period 2010-2014 were obtained from pharmaceutical companies that distribute AEDs in Israel. Prevalence of AED utilization was reported as defined daily doses (DDD)/1000 inhabitants/day.

Results: The utilization of most AEDs included in our analysis remained stable over the study period. The greatest increases in utilization of drugs established in Israel were observed for lamotrigine (33%), oxcarbazepine (31%), and primidone (18%). Decreases in use were recorded for carbamazepine (18%) and phenobarbital (15%). Use of older AEDs appeared to be relatively high, compared with the use of newer AEDs.

Conclusions: During the study period of 2010-2014, conventional AEDs remained a main treatment choice in Israel, in certain cases in contrast to current recommendations and guidelines, for reasons yet to be revealed in further research.

Keywords: Antiepileptic drugs; Drug preparations; Drug utilization.

MeSH terms

Anticonvulsants / therapeutic use*
Drug Utilization / statistics & numerical data*
Epilepsy / drug therapy*
Epilepsy / epidemiology
Humans
Israel / epidemiology

Substances

Anticonvulsants