Ethosuximide

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

  1. abdominal pain
  2. agitation
  3. agranulocytosis
  4. anorexia
  5. aplastic anemia
  6. ataxia
  7. depression
  8. diarrhea
  9. dizziness
  10. drowsiness
  11. Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DRESS)
  12. dyspepsia
  13. elevated hepatic enzymes
  14. emotional lability
  15. eosinophilia
  16. erythema multiforme
  17. euphoria
  18. fatigue
  19. gingival hyperplasia
  20. headache
  21. hematuria
  22. hiccups
  23. hirsutism
  24. impaired cognition
  25. insomnia
  26. irritability
  27. lethargy
  28. leukopenia
  29. libido increase
  30. lupus-like symptoms
  31. myopia
  32. nausea
  33. nightmares
  34. pancytopenia
  35. pruritus
  36. psychosis
  37. rash
  38. restlessness
  39. Stevens-Johnson syndrome
  40. suicidal ideation
  41. urticaria
  42. vaginal bleeding
  43. vomiting
  44. 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
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