Drug interactions
Butabarbital + Ethosuximide
Severity: Moderate
Butabarbital and Ethosuximide: moderate interaction.
Last updated
For healthcare professionals — reference only. This page is a brief summary, not medical advice and not a substitute for official labeling or clinical judgement. Always verify before prescribing or dispensing.
Summary
Both drugs are CNS depressants, so combined use may increase sedation rather than antagonize effects. Butabarbital may also induce hepatic enzymes and modestly lower ethosuximide levels.
What this interaction means in plain words
Butabarbital and Ethosuximide can affect each other. The combination is often manageable, but it may need a change of dose, a change of timing, or extra checks while both are taken.
Why it happens
Additive CNS depression and barbiturate-mediated hepatic enzyme induction.
What to do
Monitor sedation and seizure control, and check ethosuximide levels if control worsens.
What to ask your pharmacist
- Should I take them at different times of day?
- Does the dose of either medicine need to change?
- Is there anything I should avoid, such as alcohol or certain foods, while on both?
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Other interactions of Ethosuximide
- Benzhydrocodone / acetaminophen + Ethosuximide Major
- Buprenorphine long-acting + Ethosuximide Major
- Buprenorphine subdermal implant + Ethosuximide Major
- Buprenorphine transdermal + Ethosuximide Major
- Calcium / magnesium / potassium / sodium oxybates + Ethosuximide Major
- Ethosuximide + Fentanyl intranasal Major
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Butabarbital with Ethosuximide?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Butabarbital and Ethosuximide can affect each other. The combination is often manageable, but it may need a change of dose, a change of timing, or extra checks while both are taken. Both drugs are CNS depressants, so combined use may increase sedation rather than antagonize effects. Butabarbital may also induce hepatic enzymes and modestly lower ethosuximide levels.
How serious is the interaction between Butabarbital and Ethosuximide?
MediHelp rates it moderate, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Monitor sedation and seizure control, and check ethosuximide levels if control worsens.
What other medicines interact with Ethosuximide?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Ethosuximide with, for example, Benzhydrocodone / acetaminophen, Buprenorphine long-acting, Buprenorphine subdermal implant. The full list is on the Ethosuximide page.
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