Add Formweb to your mobile device
Approved Formulary
Search results for:
ethosuximide
ethosuximide
- Restricted Medications Non-Formulary / Not-stocked
Brand names: Zarontin
No brands, forms, or strengths have been added for this generic.
Display Succinimides Class:
281220
Medication comments:
| 2023 American Geriatrics Society Beers Criteria® for potentially inappropriate medication use in older adults. | |
|---|---|
| Medication: | ethosuximide (Zarontin) |
| Criteria 2: Potentially inappropriate medication use in older adults due to drug–disease or drug–syndrome interactions that may exacerbate the disease or syndrome. (Table 3) | |
| Drug(s) ⇆ disease or syndrome | antiepileptics ⇄ History of falls or fractures |
| Rationale | May cause ataxia, impaired psychomotor function, syncope, or additional falls. If one of the drugs must be used, consider reducing the use of other CNS-active medications that increase the risk of falls and fractures. (i.e., anticholinergics, selected antidepressants, antiepileptics, antipsychotics, sedative/hypnotics including benzodiazepines and, Nonbenzodiazepine benzodiazepine receptor agonist hypnotics, opioids) and implement other strategies to reduce fall risk. |
| Recommendation | Avoid except for seizures and mood disorders. |
| Quality of evidence: High, Strength of Recommendation: Strong | |
| Criteria 4: Potentially clinically important drug-drug interactions that should be avoided in older adults. (Table 5) | |
| Interacting drug(s) or class(es) | antiepileptics (including gabapentinoids) ⇄ CNS-active agents |
| Risk Rationale | Increased risk of falls and of fracture with the concurrent use of ≥3 CNS-active agents (antiepileptics including gabapentinoids, antidepressants, antipsychotics, benzodiazepines, Nonbenzodiazepine benzodiazepine receptor agonist hypnotics, opioids, and skeletal muscle relaxants). |
| Recommendation | Avoid concurrent use of ≥3 CNS-active drugs Click for list; minimize the number of CNS-active drugs. |
| Quality of evidence: High, Strength of Recommendation: Strong | |
Last updated: Sep. 20, 2025