Examinations
Examinations
Ethosuximide, along with valproic acid and clonazepam, is one of the primary medications used for the treatment of epileptic seizures known as absence seizures.
Ethosuximide is completely absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and reaches its maximum plasma concentration within 1–7 hours. Although 10–20% is excreted unchanged in the urine, the majority of the drug is metabolized in the liver. Its half-life is approximately 40–50 hours, and only a very small fraction is bound to plasma proteins.
Biomaterial for the study: venous blood.
Do not consume any food for 2–3 hours before the test.
Stop taking medications 24 hours before the test (with the consent of your treating physician).
- Determination of the drug's toxicity level.
- Monitoring the concentration of the drug in the blood.
The therapeutic range is 40–100 pg/mL. Some consider the upper limit of the therapeutic range to be 75 pg/mL, as toxic effects may occur when the plasma concentration exceeds 100 pg/mL.
In toxic doses, it causes issues such as nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, central nervous system impairment, and respiratory depression. If the plasma concentration exceeds 150 pg/mL, values above this level are considered "panic values," at which toxic effects can reach serious levels.