Evaluation of prescribing patterns of sodium valproate in neurological disease patients: a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest design study
Abstract 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 valproat...
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BMC
2025-03-01
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-025-12483-5 |
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| author | Rehab H. Werida Salima El-Sherif Rania Shoshan Naglaa F. Khedr |
| author_facet | Rehab H. Werida Salima El-Sherif Rania Shoshan Naglaa F. Khedr |
| author_sort | Rehab H. Werida |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract 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). Graphical abstract |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-2c3013a76efa4fbd9e107582ffd07681 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1472-6963 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Health Services Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-2c3013a76efa4fbd9e107582ffd076812025-08-20T03:41:12ZengBMCBMC Health Services Research1472-69632025-03-0125111210.1186/s12913-025-12483-5Evaluation of prescribing patterns of sodium valproate in neurological disease patients: a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest design studyRehab H. Werida0Salima El-Sherif1Rania Shoshan2Naglaa F. Khedr3Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, Damanhour UniversityFaculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura UniversityNeurology Department, Mansoura University HospitalBiochemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tanta UniversityAbstract 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). Graphical abstracthttps://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-025-12483-5Prescribing PatternPharmacy educationSodium valproateAnti-seizureOutpatientsAdherence |
| spellingShingle | Rehab H. Werida Salima El-Sherif Rania Shoshan Naglaa F. Khedr Evaluation of prescribing patterns of sodium valproate in neurological disease patients: a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest design study BMC Health Services Research Prescribing Pattern Pharmacy education Sodium valproate Anti-seizure Outpatients Adherence |
| title | Evaluation of prescribing patterns of sodium valproate in neurological disease patients: a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest design study |
| title_full | Evaluation of prescribing patterns of sodium valproate in neurological disease patients: a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest design study |
| title_fullStr | Evaluation of prescribing patterns of sodium valproate in neurological disease patients: a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest design study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evaluation of prescribing patterns of sodium valproate in neurological disease patients: a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest design study |
| title_short | Evaluation of prescribing patterns of sodium valproate in neurological disease patients: a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest design study |
| title_sort | evaluation of prescribing patterns of sodium valproate in neurological disease patients a quasi experimental pretest posttest design study |
| topic | Prescribing Pattern Pharmacy education Sodium valproate Anti-seizure Outpatients Adherence |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-025-12483-5 |
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