Evaluation of prescribing patterns of sodium valproate in neurological disease patients: a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design study.

BACKGROUND

The well-known anti-seizure medication, sodium valproate, is used to treat epilepsy, bipolar disorder, and other mental health conditions.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to determine how pharmacist counseling intervention affected the prescribing patterns and usage of sodium valproate in patients with neurological diseases.

METHODS

Patient prescriptions were analyzed in a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design research, at baseline and after three months of pharmacy educational intervention. Medical history, drug-drug interactions, antipsychotic combinations, medication errors, and dosages were among the information gathered.

RESULTS

The reviewed prescriptions observed trend towards antipsychotic combination, 15 (2.5%) prescriptions had five medications, while 18 (3%) contained four, 169 (28.2%) containing three, 329 (54.8%) containing two, and 69 (11.5%) containing one, antipsychotic. Of the reviewed prescriptions, 6% had possible drug-drug interactions. However, following a 3-month pharmacy educational intervention, the tendency toward antipsychotic combination decreased significantly to 262 (52%) with prescriptions for 2 antipsychotics and 163 (32.3%) with 3 antipsychotics. Likewise, the decreases in medication errors related to frequency and dosage were 8 (1.6%) vs. 29 (4.8%) and 6 (1.2%) vs. 35 (5.8%), compared to baseline respectively. Additionally, medication adherence was raised significantly (p < 0.000) from 50 (8.3%) to 338 (67.1%) after the intervention.

CONCLUSION

More precise regulations should be placed on sodium valproate prescription patterns and usage, throughout implemented pharmacist initiative in patients counselling, provision of health education and therapeutic monitoring to improve health-related quality of life.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was registered on clinicaltrial.gov with an identification code NCT05830981. https://classic.

CLINICALTRIALS: gov/ct2/show/NCT05830981 (First Posted: April 26, 2023).