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$Title{ETHOSUXIMIDE}
$Subject{Zarontin (Parke-Davis)}
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Zarontin*0195301.scf}

Copyright (C) 1991 Publications International, Ltd.


ETHOSUXIMIDE
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BRAND NAME (Manufacturer):
     Zarontin (Parke-Davis)
TYPE OF DRUG:
     Anticonvulsant
INGREDIENT:
     ethosuximide
DOSAGE FORMS:
     Capsules (250 mg)
     Oral syrup (250 mg per 5-ml spoonful)
STORAGE:
     Ethosuximide capsules and oral syrup should be stored at room temperature
       in tightly closed, light-resistant containers.  This medication should
       never be frozen.  Discard any outdated medication.

USES

     This medication is used to treat absence (petit mal) seizures.  Although
it is not exactly clear how it does so, ethosuximide seems to prevent seizure
activity by decreasing the activity of certain chemicals (nerve transmitters)
in the brain.

TREATMENT

     In order to avoid stomach irritation, you can take ethosuximide with food
or with a full glass of water or milk (unless your doctor directs you to do
otherwise).
     Each dose of the oral syrup form of this medication should be measured
carefully with a specially designed 5-ml measuring spoon.  An ordinary kitchen
teaspoon is not accurate enough.
     Ethosuximide works best when the level of medicine in your bloodstream is
kept constant.  It is best, therefore, to take the doses at evenly spaced
intervals day and night.  For example, if you are to take three doses a day,
the doses should be spaced eight hours apart.
     It is important to try not to miss any doses of this medication.  If you
do miss a dose, and remember within four hours, take the missed dose
immediately and then return to your normal schedule.  If more than four hours
have passed, do not take the missed dose at all; just return to your regular
dosing schedule.  Do not double the next dose.

SIDE EFFECTS

     Minor.

     Constipation, diarrhea, dizziness, drowsiness, headache, hiccups, loss of
appetite, nausea, stomach upset, or weight loss.  These side effects should
disappear as your body adjusts to the medication.
     To relieve constipation, increase the amount of fiber in your diet (fresh
fruits and vegetables, salads, bran, and whole-grain breads), exercise, and
drink more water (unless your doctor directs you to do otherwise).
     If you feel dizzy, sit or lie down for a while; get up slowly from a
sitting or reclining position, and be careful on stairs.

     Major.

     Tell your doctor about any side effects that are persistent or
particularly bothersome.  IT IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT TO TELL YOUR DOCTOR about
blurred vision, confusion, depression, difficult or painful urination, false
sense of well-being, fatigue, irritability, joint pains, loss of coordination,
mental disorders, mood changes, nervousness, skin rash, swelling of the eyes
or tongue, unusual bleeding or bruising, or vaginal bleeding.

INTERACTIONS

     This drug can interact with several other types of drugs:
     1. Tricyclic antidepressants, haloperidol, thiothixene, phenothiazine
tranquilizers, and alcohol can increase the risk of seizures.  Dosage
adjustments of ethosuximide may be necessary when any of these medications are
started.
     2. Isoniazid can increase the side effects of ethosuximide.
     BE SURE TO TELL YOUR DOCTOR about any medications you are currently
taking, especially any listed above.

WARNINGS

     * Tell your doctor about unusual or allergic reactions you have had to
any medications, especially to ethosuximide, methsuximide, or phensuximide.
     * Tell your doctor if you now have or if you have ever had blood
disorders, kidney disease, or liver disease.
     * If this drug makes you dizzy or drowsy, do not take part in any
activity that requires alertness, such as driving a car or operating
potentially dangerous equipment.  Children should be careful while playing.
     * Before having surgery or any other medical or dental treatment, be sure
to tell your doctor or dentist that you are taking ethosuximide.  Do not stop
taking this medication unless you first check with your doctor.  Stopping the
drug abruptly may lead to a worsening of your condition.  Your doctor may want
to reduce your dosage gradually or start you on another drug when treatment
with ethosuximide is discontinued.
     * Your doctor may schedule regular office visits, especially during the
first few months of therapy, to be sure the drug is working properly.
     * Be sure to tell your doctor if you are pregnant.  Birth defects have
been reported more often in infants whose mothers have seizure disorders.  It
is unclear if the increased risk of birth defects is associated with the
disorder or with the anticonvulsant medications, such as ethosuximide, that
are used to treat the condition.  The risks and benefits of treatment should
be discussed with your doctor.  Also, tell your doctor if you are
breast-feeding an infant.  Ethosuximide passes into breast milk.

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The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace 
the counsel and advice of your personal physician.  Promptly consulting your 
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical 
problem.
