Ethosuximide Brand Name– Zarontin
What is Ethosuximide
Ethosuximide is an oral succinimide-derivative anticonvulsant. It is more effective than phensuximide and is the drug of choice for managing absence seizures (petit mal).
Ethosuximide is generally ineffective in treating complex partial and tonic-clonic seizures.
If ethosuximide is used to manage absence seizures in a patient also suffering from tonic-clonic seizures, concurrent administration of other anticonvulsants is required to control the other seizure types.
Ethosuximide has much less teratogenic potential than other drugs used in absence seizures, such as trimethadione and paramethadione, and is the drug of choice for petit mal seizures during pregnancy.
Ethosuximide was approved by the FDA in 1960.
Indications
- absence seizures
For the treatment of generalized absence seizures
Side Effects
- abdominal pain
- agitation
- agranulocytosis
- anorexia
- aplastic anemia
- ataxia
- depression
- diarrhea
- dizziness
- drowsiness
- Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DRESS)
- dyspepsia
- elevated hepatic enzymes
- emotional lability
- eosinophilia
- erythema multiforme
- euphoria
- fatigue
- gingival hyperplasia
- headache
- hematuria
- hiccups
- hirsutism
- impaired cognition
- insomnia
- irritability
- lethargy
- leukopenia
- libido increase
- lupus-like symptoms
- myopia
- nausea
- nightmares
- pancytopenia
- pruritus
- psychosis
- rash
- restlessness
- Stevens-Johnson syndrome
- suicidal ideation
- urticaria
- vaginal bleeding
- vomiting
- weight loss
Monitoring Parameters
- CBC
- LFTs
- urinalysis
Contraindications
- abrupt discontinuation
- agranulocytosis
- bone marrow suppression
- breast-feeding
- children
- depression
- driving or operating machinery
- ethanol ingestion
- fever
- geriatric
- hematological disease
- hepatic disease
- hepatitis
- infants
- infection
- jaundice
- neonates
- porphyria
- pregnancy
- renal disease
- succinimide hypersensitivity
- suicidal ideation
Interactions
- Aliskiren; Amlodipine
- Aliskiren; Amlodipine; Hydrochlorothiazide, HCTZ
- Alprazolam
- Amitriptyline
- Amitriptyline; Chlordiazepoxide
- Amlodipine
- Amlodipine; Atorvastatin
- Amlodipine; Benazepril
- Amlodipine; Celecoxib
- Amlodipine; Hydrochlorothiazide, HCTZ; Olmesartan
- Amlodipine; Hydrochlorothiazide, HCTZ; Valsartan
- Amlodipine; Olmesartan
- Amlodipine; Telmisartan
- Amlodipine; Valsartan
- Amoxapine
- Amphetamine
- Amphetamine; Dextroamphetamine
- Amphetamine; Dextroamphetamine Salts
- Amprenavir
- Aprepitant, Fosaprepitant
- Atazanavir
- Atazanavir; Cobicistat
- Barbiturates
- Benzphetamine
- Blinatumomab
- Boceprevir
- Bosentan
- Brodalumab
- Canakinumab
- Carbamazepine
- Ceritinib
- Chlorpromazine
- Ciprofloxacin
- Clofazimine
- Clomipramine
- Cobicistat
- Codeine; Phenylephrine; Promethazine
- Codeine; Promethazine
- Colesevelam
- Conivaptan
- Crizotinib
- Danazol
- Darunavir
- Darunavir; Cobicistat
- Darunavir; Cobicistat; Emtricitabine; Tenofovir alafenamide
- Dasabuvir; Ombitasvir; Paritaprevir; Ritonavir
- Delavirdine
- Desipramine
- Dextroamphetamine
- Dextromethorphan; Promethazine
- Diltiazem
- Doxepin
- Dronabinol
- Dronedarone
- Dupilumab
- Efavirenz
- Efavirenz; Emtricitabine; Tenofovir
- Efavirenz; Lamivudine; Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate
- Elbasvir; Grazoprevir
- Elvitegravir; Cobicistat; Emtricitabine; Tenofovir Alafenamide
- Elvitegravir; Cobicistat; Emtricitabine; Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate
- Emapalumab
- Ethanol
- Everolimus
- Fluconazole
- Fluphenazine
- Fosamprenavir
- Fostamatinib
- Glycerol Phenylbutyrate
- Haloperidol
- Hydroxychloroquine
- Idelalisib
- Imipramine
- Indinavir
- Isavuconazonium
- Isocarboxazid
- Istradefylline
- Itraconazole
- Ixekizumab
- Ketoconazole
- Lanreotide
- Letermovir
- Lisdexamfetamine
- Lopinavir; Ritonavir
- Loxapine
- Lumacaftor; Ivacaftor
- Maprotiline
- Mefloquine
- Meperidine; Promethazine
- Mesoridazine
- Metreleptin
- Mitotane
- Molindone
- Monoamine oxidase inhibitors
- Nelfinavir
- Netupitant, Fosnetupitant; Palonosetron
- Nevirapine
- Nicardipine
- Nilotinib
- Nortriptyline
- Ombitasvir; Paritaprevir; Ritonavir
- Oritavancin
- Palbociclib
- Pazopanib
- Perindopril; Amlodipine
- Perphenazine
- Perphenazine; Amitriptyline
- Phenelzine
- Phenothiazines
- Phenylephrine; Promethazine
- Phenytoin
- Pimozide
- Posaconazole
- Prochlorperazine
- Promethazine
- Protriptyline
- Ranolazine
- Ribociclib
- Ribociclib; Letrozole
- Ritonavir
- Rucaparib
- Rufinamide
- Saquinavir
- Sarilumab
- Secukinumab
- Selegiline
- Sevelamer
- Siltuximab
- Simeprevir
- Teduglutide
- Telaprevir
- Telithromycin
- Telotristat Ethyl
- Thiethylperazine
- Thioridazine
- Thiothixene
- Tipranavir
- Tocilizumab
- Trandolapril; Verapamil
- Tranylcypromine
- Tricyclic antidepressants
- Trifluoperazine
- Trimipramine
- Tucatinib
- Valproic Acid, Divalproex Sodium
- Vemurafenib
- Verapamil
- Voriconazole