Active Epilepsy & its therapeutic Pattern in Baghdad/Al‐Amen City

Abstract

Background: The prevalence of active epilepsy in a large number of studies has been shown to be fairly uniform at 4‐10 per 1000 population.

 Objective: In order to find the prevalence rate of active epilepsy, the possible etiology of epilepsy and to study the therapeutic pattern of epilepsy.

 Methods: A cross section study which included 254 patients 120 female and 134 male in AI‐Amen public clinic which serves a population of 145531. Epilepsy was classified into active and inactive epilepsy. Seizures were classified as symptomatic and idiopathic.

 Results: The prevalence rate of active epilepsy was 1.66/ 1000. Active epilepsy rate was 95.3% of the total sample. The etiology was unknown in 77.9% of cases, symptomatic epilepsy 22.1 % which was due to mental retardation (9.4%). head trauma (7.5%). Brain tumour (2.4%), cerebro‐vascular accident (1.6%), and meningitis (1.2%). The most frequent (75.2%) management strategy was monotherapy. The rate of patients on regular medical therapy was 57%. The mean duration of treatment was 10.7 ± 8.22 years. Last fit in 84.3% of cases occurred in a duration of one year prior to their participation in the study.

 Conclusion: Availability of medication is not enough unless an appropriate education program is applied to provide all patients with in formation about regular use of the drug.