Acta neurologica Scandinavica
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Acta Neurol. Scand. · Feb 2007
Opinion of Belgian neurologists on antiepileptic drugs: Belgian Study on Epilepsy Treatment (BESET).
To describe the choice of treatment in adult patients with epilepsy in Belgium, to detect the presence or absence of consensus among neurologists in epilepsy treatment, and to analyze the gaps between current guidelines and prescriptions. ⋯ Neurologists reached consensus for most questions on epilepsy treatment. In 2003, monotherapy with valproate and carbamazepine was the common treatment strategy in Belgium, whereas lamotrigine and to a lesser extent levetiracetam, topiramate, and oxcarbazepine were predominantly prescribed in second-line. This is in agreement with the recently published UK epilepsy guidelines but not in agreement, however, with the US guidelines, that for new onset epilepsy, new and old drugs are equally effective. Belgian neurologists, except for some special situations still prefer old drugs as first line.