Publications by authors named "Julianne D Brooks"
Background And Objectives: Epilepsy affects approximately 1.2% of the US population, resulting in 3.4 million Americans with active epilepsy.
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- Benzodiazepines are often prescribed to older patients after an acute ischemic stroke, despite guidelines advising against this for those aged 65 and over.
- An analysis of Medicare claims from 2013 to 2021 showed that 4.9% of stroke survivors started benzodiazepine treatment, with higher initiation rates among females and in the southeastern US.
- Although there was a slight decline in new prescriptions over the years, many patients received overly long prescriptions, indicating a need for better prescribing policies.
Background And Objectives: Visibility of sexual and gender minority (SGM) people has been steadily increasing over the recent years; however, little is known about the distinct seizure and mental health characteristics among SGM people with epilepsy. In this study, we describe these characteristics among SGM subgroups.
Methods: Data on demographics, seizure metrics, mental health, and quality of life were collected using patient-reported questionnaires gathered at first epilepsy clinic visits as part of routine clinical care from January 2019 to September 2023 at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Rationale: Despite guideline warnings, older acute ischemic stroke (AIS) survivors still receive benzodiazepines (BZD) for agitation, insomnia, and anxiety despite being linked to severe adverse effects, such as excessive somnolence and respiratory depression. Due to polypharmacy, drug metabolism, comorbidities, and complications during the sub-acute post-stroke period, older adults are more susceptible to these adverse effects. We examined the impact of receiving BZDs within 30 days post-discharge on survival among older Medicare beneficiaries after an AIS.
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