Epilepsy | Treatment Algorithms | Claims Data Analysis | US | 2014
Epilepsy, a debilitating neurological condition characterized by recurrent seizures, is estimated to affect more than two million people in the United States—imparting a socioeconomic burden on patients and their families, healthcare institutions, and on society. Epilepsy pharmacotherapy comprises numerous established first-, second-, and third-generation antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) that are prescribed to prevent the recurrence of seizures and, in turn, preserve epilepsy patients’ quality of life. Polypharmacy is common for epilepsy patients who do not respond to monotherapy, and an estimated 20-30% of drug-treated epilepsy patients continue to experience seizures despite treatment with adjunctive AED regimens. Using national patient-level claims data, this report analyzes physicians’ prescribing patterns by exploring the use of key therapies in newly diagnosed and recently treated epilepsy patients. The report provides a quantitative line of therapy analysis in newly diagnosed patients, including patient share for key therapies, concomitant drug use, and the timing of progression between lines of therapy. Among recently treated patients, the report quantifies a drug’s source of business compared with its competitors and offers an analysis of add-versus-switch patterns. Additional analyses explore persistency and compliance by therapy.
