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Bárzaga Arencibia, Zeina and López Leyva, Alberto and Mejías Peña, Yordanka and González Reyes, Alba Rosa and Acosta Nápolez, Maurilys and Carbonell Perdomo, Demetrio and Fernández Manzano, Edita and Choonara, Imti (2012) Access to antiepileptic drug therapy in children in Camagüey Province, Cuba. International Journal of Pharmacy Practice, 20 (6). pp. 390-394. ISSN 2042-7174

Abstract

Objective: To describe access to antiepileptic drug therapy and estimate the prevalence of epilepsy in children in Camagüey Province, Cuba.

Methods: All the community pharmacies in the province were visited and information collected about the number of children receiving antiepileptic drugs in 2009.

Availability and cost of each antiepileptic drug were determined. The prevalence of epilepsy was estimated by determining the number of children receiving antiepileptic

drugs.

Results: There were 923 children who received a total of 977 antiepileptic drugs in Camagüey Province. The estimated prevalence of epilepsy was 5.18 per thousand

children which is lower than previously reported rates in other low and lowermiddle income countries. Most of the children (871, 94%) received a single antiepileptic

drug. Carbamazepine and valproate were the two most frequently prescribed antiepileptic drugs. Antiepileptic drugs were available from the local pharmacy on

76% of occasions. If the antiepileptic drug was not available from the local pharmacy, the parent had to travel to another pharmacy to obtain the medicine.

Conclusions: The estimated prevalence of epilepsy in children in Cuba is lower than that estimated in other lower-middle income countries. Access to drug therapy in

children with epilepsy can be achieved in lower-middle income countries.

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