Abstracts

Patient satisfaction with a treatment regimen is an important factor in epilepsy management, especially with regard to compliance. This survey was conducted to assess the level of patient satisfaction with diazepam rectal gel (Diastat[reg]) as a rescue medication for seizure emergencies.
Adult patients from a general adult neurology practice who received at least 1 dose of diazepam rectal gel to abort a prolonged seizure or acute repetitive seizures were interviewed. Patients were interviewed at clinic visits or via phone, using questionnaires to assess the efficacy and satisfaction with the therapy. Seizure control, seizure duration, quality of life, and overall satisfaction with the medication were evaluated. Seizure control was assessed in terms of seizure frequency and intensity. Attempts were also made to have family evaluate whether the therapy was effective in truncating and aborting previously well-documented flurries of seizures.
Review of patient charts yielded 12 patients that met inclusion criteria for the study. All patients interviewed reported excellent seizure control. For patients who experienced acute repetitive seizures, all events treated with diazepam rectal gel were aborted within 15 minutes of administration (100% efficacy). Several patients were initially resistant to the rectal route of delivery, but became more satisfied with the medication based on education from their physician and their own experience with its efficacy in terminating seizures. Overall, the patients interviewed were satisfied or very satisfied with diazepam rectal gel as a rescue medication for breakthrough seizures.
Patient satisfaction, an important factor in quality of life, was high for diazepam rectal gel. Diazepam was 100% effective against acute repetitive seizures. Patient opinion of the drug appears to be driven by its efficacy and by education provided by their physician.