Pavel Klein, MD: Changing Prescription Strategies During the COVID-19 Pandemic

“But now, that small risk carries a heavier weight with it. And so, patients would rather not make changes with their medication. Same goes for dosing adjustments.”

One of the main focal points throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in the earlier days, was whether clinicians needed to adjust their prescription and treatment strategies for their patients. This thought developed from the uncertainties surrounding how the virus could potentially alter the disease paths of those with neurological disorders.

Changing a prescription or treatment strategy includes having multiple discussions around choosing the correct treatment, optimizing dosing regimens, and understanding the adverse effects, according to Pavel Klein, MD. Klein, the director of the Mid-Atlantic Epilepsy and Sleep Center, claims that even just suggesting a change in treatment was difficulty for his patients because of the limitations that come with the lack of in-person visits. Furthermore, Klein stated that changing medications does not automatically infer success in treatment, which led to some pull back on such decisions.

In an interview with NeurologyLive, Klein provided perspective on why there was skepticism from patients to change their treatment strategies during the pandemic, and whether the process is actually worth it for the patient and their physician.