Introduction
Barbit 30 belongs to a class of medicines called barbiturates. It is a prescription medicine used to treat and prevent epilepsy (seizures). They also have hypnotic properties. Means, they slow down the activity of the brain and can make you feel sleepy or dizzy.
Barbit 30 may be taken with or without food. However, it is advised to take it at the same time each day as this helps to maintain a consistent level of medicine in the body. Take this medicine in the dose and duration as advised by your doctor as it may be habit-forming with long-term use. If you have missed a dose, take it as soon as you remember it. Do not skip any doses and finish the full course of treatment even if you feel better.
Some common side effects of this medicine include nausea, diarrhea, hyperactivity, depression, confusion, decreased blood pressure and fatigue. It may also cause dizziness and sleepiness, so do not drive or do anything that requires mental focus until you know how this medicine affects you.
Remember to consult your doctor if you notice severe rashes, especially accompanied by fever after taking this medicine. It should be noted that long-term use of this medicine can cause pain in joints also.
Side effects of Barbit 30
Common
- Drowsiness
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Hyperactivity
- Depression
- Confusion
- Decreased blood pressure
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Constipation
- Excitement
- Hangover
How to use Barbit 30
Take this medicine in the dose and duration as advised by your doctor. Swallow it as a whole. Do not chew, crush or break it. Barbit 30 may be taken with or without food, but it is better to take it at a fixed time.
How Barbit 30 works
Barbit 30 controls seizures or fits by increasing the action of GABA, a chemical messenger which suppresses the abnormal and excessive activity of the nerve cells in the brain.
Indication
Status epilepticus, Partial seizures, Sedation, Generalised tonic-clonic seizures, Hypnotic, Preoperative sedation
Administration
May be taken with or without food.
Adult Dose
Oral
Sedation
Adult: 30-120 mg daily in 2-3 divided doses, do not exceed 400 mg/day
Status epilepticus ; Emergency management of acute seizures
Adult: 100-300 mg daily at bedtime.
Generalised tonic-clonic seizures, Partial seizures
Adult: 60-180 mg/day at night.
Insomnia
Adult: 100-200 mg daily at bedtime, do not exceed 400 mg/day
As a hypnotic
Adult: 100-320 mg. Do not admin for >2 wk for the treatment of insomnia.
Elderly: Reduce dose.
Hepatic impairment: Reduce dose. Severe: Contraindicated.
Child Dose
Oral
Sedation
Child: 2 mg/kg daily in 3 divided doses.
Status epilepticus ; Emergency management of acute seizures
Child: 3-5 mg/kg or 125 mg/m2 daily.
Seizures
Neonates (<28 days): 3-5 mg/kg/day in 1-2 divided doses
Infants: 5-6 mg/kg/day in 1-2 divided doses
1-5 years: 6-8 mg/kg/day in 1-2 divided doses
6-12 years: 4-6 mg/kg/day in 1-2 divided doses
>12 years: 1-3 mg/kg/day in 1-2 divided doses, OR 50-100 mg BID/TID
Preoperative sedation
Child: 1-3 mg/kg pre-op.
Renal Dose
Renal impairment: Reduce dose. Severe: Contraindicated.
Contraindication
Severe renal and hepatic disorders. Severe respiratory depression, dyspnoea or airway obstruction; porphyria. Pregnancy.
Mode of Action
Phenobarbitone is a short-acting barbiturate. It depresses the sensory cortex, reduces motor activity, changes cerebellar function, and produces drowsiness, sedation and hypnosis. Its anticonvulsant property is exhibited at high doses.
Precaution
Patient w/ history or sedative/hypnotic addiction; resp disease, depression or suicidal tendencies, hypoadrenalism. Avoid abrupt withdrawal. Mild to moderate renal and hepatic impairment. Elderly or debilitated patient, childn. Pregnancy and lactation. Patient Counselling May impair ability to drive or operate machinery. Monitoring Parameters Monitor CBC, LFTs, mental status and seizure activity.
Lactation: Do not nurse
Side Effect
Common
Ataxia,Dizziness,Drowsiness,Dysarthria,Fatigue,Headache,Irritability,Nystagmus,Paresthesia restlessness,Vertigo
Geriatric patients: Excitement, confusion, depression
Pediatric patients: Paradoxical excitement/hyperactivity
Less Common
Mental dullness,Constipation,Diarrhea,Nausea,Vomiting,Megaloblastic (folate-deficiency) anemia
Uncommon
Rash,Hypocalcemia,Hepatotoxicity
Rare
Stevens-Johnson syndrome,Rickets,Osteomalacia
Potentially Fatal: Stevens-Johnson syndrome.
Interaction
May enhance the hepatotoxic potential of paracetemaol overdoses. May decrease levels/effects of various CYP isoenzyme substrates e.g. teniposide, methotrexate, antipsychotics, beta-blockers, calcium-channel blockers, other anticonvulsants, chloramphenicol, cimetidine, corticosteroids, ciclosporin, doxycycline, oestrogens, felbamate, griseofulvin, tacrolimus, furosemide, methadone, oral contraceptives, theophylline, TCAs, warfarin. May reduce effects of guanfacine. Reduced metabolism and or increased toxicity with chloramphenicol, felbamate, MAOIs, valproic acid. May enhance the nephrotoxic effects of methoxyflurane.
Potentially Fatal: Additive sedation and/or respiratory depression with ethanol, sedatives, antidepressants, opioid analgesics, benzodiazepines and other CNS depressants. May decrease levels/effects of antiarrhythmic drugs e.g. disopyramide, propafenone, quinidine.