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Use Of Antiepileptic Drugs And Lipid-Lowering Agents In The United States., Scott Mintzer, Vittorio Maio, Kathleen Foley

Department of Neurology Faculty Papers

INTRODUCTION: The extent to which enzyme-inducing antiepileptic drugs (EIAEDs) are used as first-line treatment in the United States remains unknown. Studies suggest that EIAEDs produce elevation of serum lipids, which could require additional treatment. We assessed the current use of EIAED in monotherapy for epilepsy in the U.S., as well as the correlation between the use of EIAEDs and subsequent new prescriptions for HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors ("statins") for hyperlipidemia.

METHODS: We queried the MarketScan® databases between July 2009 and January 2013, covering 66million patients with commercial or supplemental Medicare insurance. We identified individuals who had a diagnosis of seizures, continuous …