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Zonisamide

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Description

Zonisamide is an anticonvulsant medicine which is used to treat a certain type of seizures (partial seizures). This medicine is not recommended for use in patients under 16 years of age. This medicine should be used with extreme caution in patients suffering from liver diseases and depression.
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Side effectsConcernsUsage

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Side effects

Major & minor side effects for Zonisamide

Irritability

Mood or mental changes

Trouble with sleeping

Anorexia

Shakiness or unsteady walking

Easy bruising and bleeding

Rash

Uses of Zonisamide

What is it prescribed for?

Partial onset seizures

Zonisamide is used in the treatment of partial seizures which is a brain disorder characterized by muscle contractions and visual disturbances.
Concerns

Commonly asked questions

  • Onset of action

    The amount of time taken by this medicine to show its action is not clinically established.

  • Duration of effect

    The amount of time for which this medicine remains active in the body is not clinically established.

  • Safe with alcohol?

    Consumption of alcohol with this medicine is not recommended due to the increased risk of side effects such as dizziness, drowsiness, and impaired judgment. It is advised that you do not perform any activities which require high mental alertness like driving a vehicle or operating machinery if you consume alcohol while taking this medicine.

  • Is it habit forming?

    No habit forming tendency has been reported.

  • Usage in pregnancy?

    This medicine is not recommended for use in pregnant women unless necessary. The risks and benefits should be discussed with the doctor before taking this medicine.

  • Usage while breast-feeding?

    This medicine is not recommended for use in breastfeeding women unless necessary. The risks and benefits should be discussed with the doctor before taking this medicine.

Allergy

This medicine is not recommended for use in patients with a known allergy to Zonisamide or other sulfonamides.

Warnings for special population

Pregnancy

This medicine is not recommended for use in pregnant women unless necessary. The risks and benefits should be discussed with the doctor before taking this medicine.

Breast-feeding

This medicine is not recommended for use in breastfeeding women unless necessary. The risks and benefits should be discussed with the doctor before taking this medicine.

General warnings

Skin Reactions

This medicine is not recommended for use in patients with a known history of allergy to Zonisamide. Report any skin rash to the doctor immediately. Your doctor may discontinue the medicine and prescribe an alternative medicine based on your clinical condition.

Effect on blood

This medicine is not recommended for use in patients with a known history of blood disorders. Close monitoring of CBC and platelet levels are recommended while receiving this medicine.

Suicidal tendency

This medicine is not recommended for use in patients with a known history of depression due to an increase in the risk of worsening depression and suicidal thoughts. Monitor the patients closely for any worsening of symptoms. An alternate treatment option should be considered based on the clinical condition.

Missed Dose

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost the time for your next dose, skip the missed dose. Do not double your dose to make up for the missed dose.

Overdose

Seek emergency medical treatment or contact the doctor in case of an overdose.
All drugs interact differently for person to person. You should check all the possible interactions with your doctor before starting any medicine.

Interaction with Alcohol

Description

N/A

Instructions

Consumption of alcohol with this medicine is not recommended due to the increased risk of side effects such as dizziness, drowsiness, and impaired judgment. It is advised that you do not perform any activities which require high mental alertness like driving a vehicle or operating machinery if you consume alcohol while taking this medicine.

Interaction with Medicine

Amitriptyline

Erythromycin

Ketoconazole

Alprazolam

Dicyclomine

Disease interactions

Depression

Zonisamide is not recommended for use in patients with a known history of depression due to an increase in the risk of worsening depression, suicidal thoughts, and unusual mood changes. Monitor the patients closely for any worsening of symptoms. Consult your doctor immediately if you notice any behavioral changes.

Bone Marrow Depression/Blood Dyscrasias

Zonisamide is not recommended for use in patients with a known history of blood disorders due to an increase in the risk of bone marrow depression and anemia. Close monitoring of CBC and platelet count is recommended while receiving this medicine.

Renal Dysfunction

This medicine should be used with caution in patients with a known history of kidney disease due to the increased risk of serious side effects. Close monitoring of kidney function is recommended while receiving this medicine. Appropriate dose adjustments should be done based on the severity of renal impairment.

Food interactions

Information not available.

Lab interactions

Information not available.
This is not an exhaustive list of possible drug interactions. You should consult your doctor about all the possible interactions of the drugs you’re taking.
Drink plenty of fluids during treatment with this medicine to reduce the risk of kidney stone formation. Do not take this medicine in larger amounts than advised. Consult the doctor immediately if you experience any undesirable side effects. Do not stop the use of this medicine without consulting your doctor.

Miscelleneous

Can be taken with or without food, as advised by your doctor

To be taken as instructed by doctor

Causes sleepiness

How it works

This medicine works by decreasing the abnormal electrical activity in the brain, thus stopping the seizure activity.

Legal Status

Approved

Approved

Approved

Approved

Classification

Category

Anticonvulsants

Schedule

Schedule H

DailyMed - Zonisamide capsule [Internet]. Dailymed.nlm.nih.gov. 2017 [cited 14 July 2017]. Available from:

https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=345efcc4-6a36-4ddf-8b6c-9c6c844dab0a#_Refi4i_pregnancy_id_a8969036-419c-4f86-

Zonisamide: MedlinePlus Drug Information [Internet]. Medlineplus.gov. 2017 [cited 14 July 2017]. Available from:

https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a603008.html#

[Internet]. 2017 [cited 14 July 2017]. Available from:

https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/medicine/32938#

Prescribing medicines in pregnancy database [Internet]. Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). 2017 [cited 14 July 2017]. Available from:

https://www.tga.gov.au/prescribing-medicines-pregnancy-database
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Information on this page was last updated on 9 Feb 2018

Disclaimer

We’ve made all possible efforts to ensure that the information provided here is accurate, up-to-date and complete, however, it should not be treated as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Practo only provides reference source for common information on medicines and does not guarantee its accuracy or exhaustiveness. The absence of a warning for any drug or combination thereof, should not be assumed to indicate that the drug or combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for any given patient. Practo does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information provided above. If you have any doubts about your medication then we strongly recommend that you consult with your doctor, nurse or healthcare provider. See detailed T&C here.