Authors :
Zain Ali Nadeem, MBBS – Allama Iqbal Medical College
Zuha Tariq, MBBS – Allama Iqbal Medical College
Sophia Ahmed, MBBS – Allama Iqbal Medical College, Lahore
Eeshal Fatima, MBBS – Services Institute of Medical Sciences
Javeria Javeid, MBBS – University of Florida
Aimen Nadeem, MBBS – King Edward Medical University
Muhammad Ahmad Nadeem, MBBS – Department of Transplant Surgery, Cleveland Clinic Foundation
Presenting Author: Syed Hashim Ali Inam, MD – Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Department of Neurology
MUHAMMAD INAM UL HAQ, MD – Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Department of Neurology
Samirna Hanif, MD – Marshall University
Rationale:
Epilepsy is a widespread neurologic disease, showing a 10.8% increase in prevalence from 1990 to 2021 per the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021. Hypertension is postulated to be a risk factor for late-onset epilepsy, with the renin-angiotensin system being a common pathophysiologic mechanism. Management of patients with comorbid epilepsy and hypertension is often complicated due to the various interactions between antiepileptic and antihypertensive drugs. We aim to assess the temporal and regional trends and disparities in mortality related to hypertension in adults with epilepsy in the United States (US). Methods:
We used the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wide-ranging ONline Data for Epidemiologic Research (CDC WONDER) database to obtain data of adults ( >25 years) in the US from 1999 to 2020 using ICD-10 codes with both hypertension (I10-I15) and epilepsy (G40) written anywhere on the death certificate, either as the underlying cause of death or as a contributing cause of death. The data were stratified by sex, 20-year age groups, census region, urbanization, and states. We calculated crude (CMRs) and age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMRs) per 100,000 with the 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The temporal trends were identified using the Joinpoint Regression Program by calculating the annual percent change (APC) in the rates. A P-value < 0.05 was considered significant in all cases.