Ethosuximide Dosing

The ethosuximide dosing guidelines your healthcare provider will follow will vary, depending on several factors, such as your age and weight. For treating epilepsy in adults and children at least six years old, the starting ethosuximide dosage is 250 mg twice daily. For children between three and six years old, the starting ethosuximide dose is 250 mg once daily.

 

Ethosuximide Dosing: An Introduction

The dose of ethosuximide (Zarontin®) that your healthcare provider recommends will vary, depending on a number of factors, including:
 
  • Your age and weight
  • Other medications you may be taking
  • Other medical conditions you may have.
     
As is always the case, do not adjust your ethosuximide dose unless your healthcare provider specifically instructs you to do so.
 
Ethosuximide Dosing for Epilepsy
The recommended starting ethosuximide dose for children age three to six years old is ethosuximide 250 mg once daily. For children age six and older (and for adults), the recommended starting dose is ethosuximide 250 mg twice daily. Your healthcare provider may increase your ethosuximide dose gradually until your seizures are controlled.
 
Alternatively, your child's healthcare provider may use your child's weight to calculate an appropriate dose (especially if your child weighs more or less than normal).
 

General Ethosuximide Dosing Information

Some considerations for people taking ethosuximide include the following:
 
  • Ethosuximide comes in capsule form and is taken by mouth once or twice daily. Ethosuximide is also available in a syrup form.
     
  • Ethosuximide can be taken with or without food. If ethosuximide bothers your stomach, try taking it with food.
     
  • Ethosuximide should be taken at the same time(s) each day to maintain an even level of the drug in your blood.
     
  • For the medication to work properly, it must be taken as prescribed. Ethosuximide will not work if you stop taking it.
     
  • If you are unsure about anything related to ethosuximide or your ethosuximide dosage, talk to your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist. Do not stop taking the drug without discussing it with your healthcare provider (see Zarontin Withdrawal).
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;