RT Book, Section
A1 RHONEY, DENISE H.
A1 McALLEN, KAREN J.
A1 LIU-DeRYKE, XI
A1 PARKER JR., DENNIS
A2 Cohen, Henry
SR Print(0)
ID 1112258493
T1 Phenobarbital and Primidone
T2 Casebook in Clinical Pharmacokinetics and Drug Dosing
YR 2015
FD 2015
PB McGraw-Hill Education
PP New York, NY
SN 9780071628358
LK accesspharmacy.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1112258493
RD 2024/10/16
AB Phenobarbital  is  a  barbituric  acid  derivative  with  hypnotic  activity  and  central  nervous  system  (CNS)  depressant  effects.  Phenobarbital  is  one  of  the  oldest  anticonvulsant  agents  still  used  in  clinical  practice.  It  is  FDA-approved  for  short-term  sedation/hypnosis  and  treatment  of  generalized  or  partial  onset  seizures  and  provides  an  alternative  to  treat  refractory  status  epilepticus.  It  is  less  commonly  used  as  the  first-line  anticonvulsant  due  to  disadvantages  such  as  cognitive  impairment,  respiratory  depression,  sedation,  and  significant  drug  interactions.  The  anticonvulsant  activity  of  phenobarbital  is  thought  to  be  due  to  its  effect  on  postsynaptic  GABA  receptors,  which  increases  seizure  threshold  but  the  full  mechanism  is  not  completely  understood.1  Phenobarbital  has  also  been  used  off-label  to  treat  alcohol  withdrawal,  neonatal  seizures,  febrile  seizures,  neonate  hyperbilirubinemia,  and  adults  with  congenital  nonhemolytic  unconjugated  hyperbilirubinemia  or  chronic  cholestasis.