Prescribing practice in a mental handicap hospital: 1—ANTICONVULSANTS FROM 1978–87

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Abstract
This is the first of two articles which consider the use of medication in a mental handicap hospital over a ten‐year period. The present article reviews the use of medication to control epilepsy. The second will look at the use of psychotropic medication, that is, medication intended to alter mood, conciousness, or awareness.Prescription sheets and case notes of people resident in the hospital on 31st March 1978 and 31st March 1987 were studied to see trends in anticonvulsant usage during that period. There was a decline in the use of phenobarbitone and primidone, and an increase in the use of carbamazepine. The number of people on more than one drug did not alter greatly, but fewer were on more than two drugs by 1987. These results, and the continuing problem of people being prescribed more than one anticonvulsant at a time, are discussed.

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