Phenobarbital is a barbiturate medication primarily used to manage and prevent various types of seizures, including generalized tonic-clonic and partial seizures. It is also used in the treatment of status epilepticus and can serve as a sedative for anxiety or preoperative sedation.
Phenobarbital works by depressing the central nervous system, thereby reducing neuronal activity, which helps control seizure activity and induce sedation.
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Get A Second OpinionIf you forget to take any dose or by mistake miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember it. If it is already the time for the next dose, skip the forgotten dose. Take your next medicine at the regular time schedule. Do not double the dose
Missing one or two-dose of Phenergan won't show any effect on your body. The skipped dose causes no problem. But with some medication, it won't work if you don't take the dosage on time. If you miss a dose some sudden chemical change may affect your body. In some cases, your doctor would advise you to take the prescribed medicine as soon as possible if you have missed the dose.
The medicine should not come in direct contact with heat, air, and light may damage your medicines. Exposure to medicine might cause some harmful effects or serious side effects. The medicine must be kept in a safe place and out of children's reach.
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Book an Appointment| Phenobarbital | Diazepam |
|---|---|
| Phenobarbital is a barbiturate. Phenobarbital reduces brain and nervous system activity. | Diazepam, originally marketed as Valium, is a benzodiazepine anxiolytic medication. |
| Phenobarbital is a medication used for preventing seizures. | It is commonly used to treat anxiety, seizures, alcohol withdrawal syndrome, benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome, muscle spasms, difficulty sleeping, and restless legs syndrome. |
| Phenobarbital is more potent when compared to diazepam. | Diazepam is easier to titrate. |
Phenobarbital is used for controlling seizures. The medication is also used for relieving anxiety.
To maintain sedation and alleviate anxiety, tension, and apprehension you can take 30 to 120 mg/day PO, divided into two to three doses. In debilitated patients, the manufacturer recommends a lower dose.
Phenobarbital can be given as an injection, a liquid elixir, or as tablets. Each has its own rate of action and recommended dosages. Tablets or elixirs start working in about 60 minutes and last for 10 to 12 hours, depending on the dosage and individual metabolism.
The total daily dose of phenobarbital is then divided into three to four divided doses, not to exceed 600 mg per day. If withdrawal symptoms appear on the first day of treatment, a loading dose of 100 to 200 mg phenobarbital may be administered intravenously (IM) in addition to the oral dose.
Phenobarbital is used to treat infants (ages 0 to 1 year) who have any type of seizure disorder, as well as other children who have generalized, partial, or febrile seizures. It's also used to treat status epilepticus (seizures lasting greater than 15 minutes).
As your body adjusts to the medication, you may experience dizziness, drowsiness, excitement, headache, tiredness, loss of appetite, nausea, or vomiting. Notify your doctor or pharmacist right away if any of these side effects persist or worsen.
Effects on the musculoskeletal system: Chronic phenobarbital use is linked to an increased risk of osteoporosis, decreased bone mineral density, increased bone fractures, and palmar fibromatosis, which is characterized by a thickening and tightening of the tissue beneath the skin in the hands.
Phenobarbital increases the risk of depression in epileptic patients and should be avoided whenever clinically possible, especially in patients with a personal or family history of affective disorder.
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