Sketchy Pharm: Ethosuximide

Question 1

The first-line treatment for absence seizures is ___________.

Answer 1

ethosuximide

Question 2

True or false: children can usually remember their absence seizures (that is, they’re aware that they’ve had one).

Answer 2

False.

Question 3

Ethosuximide works by __________________.

Answer 3

blocking T-type calcium channels in the thalamus (the “Calci-Yum” chocolate milk next to the Tea thermos)

Question 4

The main side effects of ethosuximide are _______________.

Answer 4

GI distress such as nausea, vomiting, and pain (the kid getting punched in the belly by the bully)

Fatigue (kid sleeping in front row)

Question 5

A patient’s mother tells you that her son is having absence seizures at school. You start to type “ethosuximide” into your electronic chart, but then she starts telling you something that makes you reconsider your prescription. What is she telling you and what other drug are you now considering?

Answer 5

That her son has also had generalized tonic-clonic seizures! Ethosuximide is not effective in treating tonic-clonic seizures; valproate and lamotrigine are, however, and they can also treat absence seizures!

(Think of the farm festiVAL with lLAMas outside th classroom.)