Saturday, October 8, 2016

Ezogabine


Generic Name: ezogabine (e ZOG a been)

Brand Names: Potiga


What is ezogabine?

Ezogabine is an anti-epileptic drug, also called an anticonvulsant.


Ezogabine is used to treat partial-onset seizures in adults.


Ezogabine may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.


What is the most important information I should know about ezogabine?


You should not use ezogabine if you are allergic to it.

Before you take ezogabine, tell your doctor if you have kidney or liver disease, an enlarged prostate, urination problems, heart disease or a heart rhythm disorder, a history of mental illness or suicidal thoughts, low levels of potassium or magnesium in your blood, or a personal or family history of Long QT syndrome..


You may have thoughts about suicide while taking this medication. Your doctor will need to check you at regular visits. Do not miss any scheduled appointments.


Report any new or worsening symptoms to your doctor, such as: mood or behavior changes, depression, anxiety, or if you feel agitated, hostile, restless, hyperactive (mentally or physically), or have thoughts about suicide or hurting yourself. This medication may cause blurred vision and may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert and able to see clearly. Drinking alcohol can increase certain side effects of ezogabine. Ezogabine may be habit-forming and should be used only by the person it was prescribed for. Keep the medication in a secure place where others cannot get to it. Do not stop using ezogabine without first talking to your doctor, even if you feel fine. You may have increased seizures if you stop using ezogabine suddenly. You may need to use less and less before you stop the medication completely.

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking ezogabine?


You should not use ezogabine if you are allergic to it.

To make sure you can safely use ezogabine, tell your doctor if you have any of these other conditions:



  • kidney disease;




  • liver disease;




  • an enlarged prostate;




  • urination problems;




  • heart disease or a heart rhythm disorder;




  • a history of depression, mental illness, or suicidal thoughts or actions;




  • a personal or family history of Long QT syndrome; or




  • an electrolyte imbalance (such as low levels of potassium or magnesium in your blood).




Ezogabine may be habit forming and should be used only by the person it was prescribed for. Never share ezogabine with another person, especially someone with a history of drug abuse or addiction. Keep the medication in a place where others cannot get to it. FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether ezogabine will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medication. If you are pregnant, your name may be listed on a pregnancy registry. This is to track the outcome of the pregnancy and to evaluate any effects of ezogabine on the baby. It is not known whether ezogabine passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. You should not breast-feed while you are using ezogabine. Do not give this medication to anyone under 18 years old without medical advice.

How should I take ezogabine?


Take exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Do not take in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended. Follow the directions on your prescription label.


Your doctor may occasionally change your dose to make sure you get the best results.


Ezogabine is usually taken 3 times each day. Follow your doctor's instructions.


You may take ezogabine with or without food.


Do not crush, chew, break, or dissolve a ezogabine tablet. Swallow it whole. Do not stop using ezogabine without first talking to your doctor, even if you feel fine. You may have increased seizures if you stop using ezogabine suddenly. You may need to use less and less before you stop the medication completely. This medication can cause unusual results with certain medical tests. Tell any doctor who treats you that you are using ezogabine. Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

Keep track of the amount of medicine used from each new bottle. Ezogabine is a drug of abuse and you should be aware if anyone is using your medicine improperly or without a prescription.


See also: Ezogabine dosage (in more detail)

What happens if I miss a dose?


Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. Skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next scheduled dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.


What happens if I overdose?


Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.

Overdose symptoms may include feeling irritable, agitated, or aggressive.


What should I avoid while taking ezogabine?


This medication may cause blurred vision and may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert and able to see clearly. Drinking alcohol can increase certain side effects of ezogabine.

Ezogabine side effects


Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Report any new or worsening symptoms to your doctor, such as: mood or behavior changes, depression, anxiety, panic attacks, or if you feel agitated, hostile, aggressive, restless, hyperactive (mentally or physically), or have thoughts about suicide or hurting yourself. Call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:

  • painful or difficult urination;




  • urinating less than usual or not at all;




  • confusion, hallucinations, unusual thoughts or behavior, thoughts of suicide or hurting yourself;



Less serious side effects may include:



  • dizziness, spinning sensation;




  • weakness, loss of balance or coordination;




  • drowsiness, tired feeling;




  • memory problems, trouble concentrating;




  • blurred vision, double vision;




  • tremors;




  • problems with speech or walking;



This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.


Ezogabine Dosing Information


Usual Adult Dose for Epilepsy:

Initial dose: 100 mg orally 3 times daily. The dose may be increased by a maximum of 50 mg 3 times daily (150 mg per week) based on clinical response.
Maintenance dose: 200 to 400 mg orally 3 times daily (600 to 1,200 mg orally daily)
Maximum dose: 400 mg orally 3 times daily (1,200 mg orally daily)

Usual Geriatric Dose for Epilepsy:

Initial dose: 50 mg orally 3 times daily. The dose may be increased by a maximum of 50 mg 3 times daily (150 mg per week) based on clinical response.
Maximum dose: 250 mg orally 3 times daily (750 mg orally daily)


What other drugs will affect ezogabine?


Tell your doctor about all other medicines you use, especially:



  • arsenic trioxide (Trisenox);




  • digoxin (Lanoxin, Lanoxicaps);




  • tacrolimus (Prograf);




  • an antibiotic such as clarithromycin (Biaxin), erythromycin (E.E.S., EryPed, Ery-Tab, Erythrocin, Pediazole), levofloxacin (Levaquin), moxifloxacin (Avelox), or pentamidine (NebuPent, Pentam);




  • an antidepressant such as amitriptylline (Elavil, Vanatrip, Limbitrol), clomipramine (Anafranil), or desipramine (Norpramin);




  • anti-malaria medications such as chloroquine (Aralen) or mefloquine (Lariam);




  • bladder or urinary medications such as darifenacin (Enablex), flavoxate (Urispas), oxybutynin (Ditropan, Oxytrol), tolterodine (Detrol), or solifenacin (Vesicare); or




  • bronchodilators such as ipratropium (Atrovent) or tiotropium (Spiriva);




  • heart rhythm medicine such as amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone), dofetilide (Tikosyn), disopyramide (Norpace), dronedarone (Multaq), ibutilide (Corvert), procainamide (Procan, Pronestyl), propafenone (Rythmol), quinidine (Quin-G), or sotalol (Betapace);




  • irritable bowel medications such as dicyclomine (Bentyl), hyoscyamine (Hyomax), or propantheline (Pro Banthine);




  • medicine to prevent or treat nausea and vomiting such as dolasetron (Anzemet), droperidol (Inapsine), or ondansetron (Zofran);




  • medicines to treat psychiatric disorders, such as chlorpromazine (Thorazine), clozapine (FazaClo, Clozaril), haloperidol (Haldol), pimozide (Orap), thioridazine (Mellaril), or ziprasidone (Geodon);




  • migraine headache medicine such as sumatriptan (Imitrex, Treximet) or zolmitriptan (Zomig);




  • narcotic medication such as methadone (Methadose, Diskets, Dolophine); or




  • other seizure medication such as carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Equetro, Tegretal) or phenytoin (Dilantin).



There may be other drugs that can interact with ezogabine. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.



More ezogabine resources


  • Ezogabine Side Effects (in more detail)
  • Ezogabine Dosage
  • Ezogabine Use in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
  • Ezogabine Drug Interactions
  • Ezogabine Support Group
  • 0 Reviews for Ezogabine - Add your own review/rating


  • ezogabine Advanced Consumer (Micromedex) - Includes Dosage Information

  • Ezogabine Professional Patient Advice (Wolters Kluwer)

  • Potiga Consumer Overview



Compare ezogabine with other medications


  • Epilepsy
  • Seizures


Where can I get more information?


  • Your pharmacist can provide more information about ezogabine.

See also: ezogabine side effects (in more detail)



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