Patterns of antiseizure medication use and related health outcomes in people with ischaemic stroke: Pharmacoepidemiological analysis of real-world data

This thesis explores the prescription patterns of antiseizure medications (ASMs) among people with stroke and examines how different ASMs influence health outcomes in a post-stroke cohort. Four retrospective observational studies were conducted using various pharmacoepidemiological approaches. Findings indicate a shift towards the use of newer ASMs. However, similar short-term benefits were demonstrated across different ASM types. The increasing concomitant use of non-enzyme-inducing ASMs and oral anticoagulants suggest current clinical practices are in alignment with up-to-date clinical guidelines. Further investigations are needed to explore factors affecting the ASM selection and to compare long-term benefits of individual ASMs to better understand the optimal use of ASMs in the post-stroke cohort.