Clobazam

Drug Status in USA : Approved
Drug Status in Canada : Approved

pronunciation

pronounced as (kloe' ba zam)

Why is this medication prescribed?

Clobazam is used with other medication(s) to control seizures in adults and children 2 years of age and older who have Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (a disorder that causes seizures and often causes developmental delays). Clobazam is in a class of medications called benzodiazepines. It works by decreasing abnormal electrical activity in the brain.


How should this medicine be used?

Clobazam comes as a tablet and a suspension (liquid) to take by mouth. It is usually taken once or twice a day, with or without food. Take clobazam at around the same time(s) every day. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand.

If you are unable to swallow the tablets whole, you may crush them and mix with a small amount of applesauce.

The liquid comes an adapter and two oral dosing syringes. Use only one of the two oral dosing syringes to measure your dose and save the second syringe. If the first oral syringe is damaged or lost, the second provided syringe may be used as a replacement.

To take the liquid, follow these steps:
Before the first use, uncap the bottle and firmly insert the adapter into the neck of the bottle until the adapter top is even with the bottle top. Do not remove the adapter during the period of time you are using this bottle.Shake the liquid well before each use to mix the medication evenly.To measure your dose, push the plunger of the syringe all the way down and insert the syringe into the adapter of the upright bottle. Then turn the bottle upside down and slowly pull the plunger back until the black ring is in line with your prescribed dose.Remove the syringe from the bottle adapter and slowly squirt the liquid from the syringe into the corner of your mouth.Place the bottle cap over the adapter after each use.Wash the oral syringe after each use. To wash the syringe, remove the plunger completely, wash the barrel and plunger with soap and water, rinse, and allow to dry. Do not place the syringe parts in the dishwasher.

Your doctor will probably start you on a low dose of clobazam and gradually increase your dose, not more than once every week.

Some people may respond differently to clobazam based on their heredity or genetic makeup. Your doctor may order a blood test to help find the dose of clobazam that is best for you.

Clobazam can be habit forming. Take clobazam exactly as directed. Do not take a larger dose, take it more often, or take it for a longer period of time than prescribed by your doctor.

Clobazam may help control your condition but will not cure it. Continue to take clobazam even if you feel well. Do not stop taking clobazam without talking to your doctor. If you suddenly stop taking clobazam, you may experience withdrawal symptoms such as new or worsening seizures, hallucinating (seeing things or hearing voices that do not exist), behavior changes, depressed mood, loss of contact with reality, restlessness, irritability, panic attacks, difficulty concentrating, anxiety, difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, headache, blurred vision, eye sensitivity to light, uncontrollable shaking of a part of your body, fast heartbeat, sweating, muscle pain and stiffness, stomach or muscle cramps, nausea, diarrhea, or weight loss. Your doctor will probably decrease your dose gradually.

Your doctor or pharmacist will give you the manufacturer's patient information sheet (Medication Guide) when you begin treatment with clobazam and each time you refill your prescription. Read the information carefully and ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions. You can also visit the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website (http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm085729.htm) or the manufacturer's website to obtain the Medication Guide.


What are the precautions to be followed?

Before taking clobazam,
  • tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to clobazam, any other medications, or any of the ingredients in clobazam tablets. Ask your pharmacist or check the Medication Guide for a list of the ingredients.
  • tell your doctor and pharmacist what other prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Be sure to mention any of the following: antidepressants; antihistamines; dextromethorphan (Benylin, in Robitussin DM); fluconazole (Diflucan); fluvoxamine (Luvox); hormonal contraceptives (birth control pills, patches, rings, implants, injections, or intrauterine devices); medications for anxiety, mental illness, pain, or seizures; omeprazole (Prilosec, Zegerid); sedatives; sleeping pills; ticlopidine (Ticlid); or tranquilizers. Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects. Many other medications may also interact with clobazam, so be sure to tell your doctor about all the medications you are taking, even those that do not appear on this list.
  • tell your doctor if you drink or have ever drunk large amounts of alcohol or use or have ever used street drugs or excessive amounts of prescription medications. Also tell your doctor if you have or have ever had depression, mood problems, or thoughts about harming or killing yourself, or planning or trying to do so; or lung, kidney, or liver disease.
  • tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. If you are using hormonal contraceptives, you should know that this type of birth control may not work well when used with clobazam. Hormonal contraceptives should not be used as your only method of birth control while you are taking clobazam and for 28 days after you stop taking it. Talk to your doctor about birth control methods that will work for you. If you become pregnant while taking clobazam, call your doctor.
  • talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking this medication if you are 65 years of age or older. Older adults should receive low doses of clobazam because higher doses may not work better and may cause serious side effects.
  • you should know that clobazam may make you drowsy and affect your thinking, ability to make decisions, and coordination. Do not drive a car, operate machinery, or do other dangerous activities until you know how this medication affects you.
  • ask your doctor about the safe use of alcoholic beverages while you are taking clobazam. Alcohol can make the side effects from clobazam worse.
  • you should know that your mental health may change in unexpected ways and you may become suicidal (thinking about harming or killing yourself or planning or trying to do so) while you are taking clobazam. A small number of adults and children 5 years of age and older (about 1 in 500 people) who took anticonvulsants, such as clobazam, to treat various conditions during clinical studies became suicidal during their treatment. Some of these people developed suicidal thoughts and behavior as early as one week after they started taking the medication. You and your doctor will decide whether the risks of taking an anticonvulsant medication are greater than the risks of not taking the medication. You, your family, or your caregiver should call your doctor right away if you experience any of the following symptoms: panic attacks; agitation or restlessness; new or worsening irritability, anxiety, or depression; acting on dangerous impulses; difficulty falling or staying asleep; aggressive, angry, or violent behavior; mania (frenzied, abnormally excited mood); thinking about harming or killing yourself, or planning or trying to do so; or any other unusual changes in behavior or mood. Be sure that your family or caregiver knows which symptoms may be serious so they can call the doctor if you are unable to seek treatment on your own.

What are possible side effects of this medication ?

Clobazam may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:
  • tiredness
  • problems with coordination
  • difficulty speaking or swallowing
  • drooling
  • change in appetite
  • vomiting
  • constipation
  • cough
  • joint pain
Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of these symptoms or those listed in the SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS section, call your doctor immediately or get emergency medical treatment:
  • difficult, painful, or frequent urination
  • difficulty breathing
  • sores in your mouth
  • rash
  • hives
  • peeling or blistering skin
  • fever

Clobazam may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication.


How to store the medication and dispose it of after its use later?

Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store clobazam in a safe place so that no one else can take it accidentally or on purpose. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture (not in the bathroom). Store clobazam suspension (liquid) in an upright position. Do not use any remaining liquid more than 90 days after first opening the bottle. Throw away any medication that is outdated or no longer needed. Talk to your pharmacist about the proper disposal of your medication.


Drug Category/Class

  • Cytochrome P-450 CYP2C19 Inducers
  • CYP2D6 Inducers
  • CYP2D6 Inducers (strong)
  • Cytochrome P-450 CYP2B6 Inhibitors
  • CYP2B6 Inhibitors (strong)
  • Cytochrome P-450 CYP2B6 Inducers
  • CYP3A4 Inhibitors
  • Benzodiazepines
  • Benzodiazepine Derivatives
  • Anxiolytics
  • Psycholeptics
  • Anticonvulsants
  • Nervous System
  • Benzodiazepine derivatives
Prescribed For treatment and management of epilepsy and seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, a difficult-to-treat form of childhood epilepsy.
Weight :300.74
Structure Clobazam
Generic Drug Clobazam prescribed For treatment and management of epilepsy and seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, a difficult-to-treat form of childhood epilepsy.
Formula

C16H13ClN2O2

Clobazam has 57 Brands listed


Aedon (10 mg)Aedon (5 mg)
Bazzy (5 mg)Bexam (5 mg)
Cloba (10 mg)Cloba (20 mg)
Cloba (5 mg)Clobaday (10 mg)
Clobaday (20 mg)Clobaday (5 mg)
Clobakon (10 mg)Clobakon (5 mg)
Clobastar (10 mg)Clobastar (5 mg)
Clobatar (10 mg)Clobatar (20 mg)
Clobatar (5 mg)Clobator (10 mg)
Clobator (20 mg)Clobator (5 mg)
Clobazem (10 mg)Closum MD (10 mg)
Closum MD (20 mg)Closum MD (5 mg)
Clozam (10 mg)Clozam (20 mg)
Clozam (5 mg)Czam (10 mg)
Czam (5 mg)Doxgem
Epiba (10 mg)Epiba (20 mg)
Epiba (5 mg)Epizam (10 mg)
Epizam (20 mg)Epizam (5 mg)
Frisium (10 mg)Frisium (10 mg) (Alcare)
Frisium (20 mg)Frisium (20 mg) (Alcare)
Frisium (5 mg)Frisium (5 mg) (Alcare)
Gabaplus (10 mg)Gabaplus (5 mg)
Lobazam (10 mg)Lobazam (20 mg)
Lobazam (5 mg)Lobazam MD (5 mg)
Orestes 5mgSezam (10 mg)
Sezam (5 mg)Sloba (10 mg)
Sloba (5 mg)Solzam (10 mg)
Zac (10 mg)Zac (20 mg)
Zac (5 mg)

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