Open AccessCosts of epilepsy
Author(s) -
Catarina Cöuras Lins,
Rodrigo Antônio Rocha da Cruz Adry,
Lúcia Heleeves Marques,
Antônio de Souza Andrade Filho
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
jornal brasileiro de neurocirurgia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2446-6786
pISSN - 0103-5118
DOI - 10.22290/jbnc.v23i2.1157
Subject(s) - epilepsy , medicine , total cost , pediatrics , population , medical treatment , retrospective cohort study , magnetic resonance imaging , psychiatry , intensive care medicine , surgery , radiology , environmental health , business , accounting
An epileptic disorder is defined as an intermittent disturbance of the nervous system and due to an excessive, sudden and disordered discharge of cerebral neurons. Recently, the cost of medical treatments, in general and in particular of the anti-epileptic drugs, have been discussed in many countries. The objective is to evaluate the cost of epilepsy treatment in Brazil. Materials And Methods: Eighty-seven epilepsy diagnosed patients with average age of 38,5 years old were studied . Results: The total cost for an annual treatment of all the 87 patients was of R$ 62.462,45. The costs with head computerized tomography, encephalic magnetic resonance, yearly electroencephalogram, yearly laboratory exams and medical consultations, were of R$8.477,28, R$3.493,75, R$986,58, R$5.649,78, R$ 3.480, respectively, with a total of R$84.549,84. The indirect costs could not be summed up because of the difficulty in obtaining retrospective information. Discussion: Drug treatment isresponsible for the higher cost of the treatment of epileptic patients, associated to the indirect costs that could be reduced with better access of the population to health services.