Antiepileptic drugs in epilepsy and other disorders—A population-based study of prescriptions

Summary Purpose The aim of the study was to quantify the use of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) in epilepsy and other indications in a nation-wide population using a prescription database. Materials and methods Prescription data of AEDs were collected from the Norwegian Prescription Database for the period 2004–2007, including 5.1 million prescriptions from 144,653 patients, all having at least one prescribed and dispensed AED. Diagnosis-related reimbursement codes were used as indicators for clinical use. Results Of the AEDs used, 71% was in epilepsy, 15% in psychiatry, 13% in neuropathic pain, and