Clonazepam Side effects, Drug interactions, pharmacokinetics

Clonazepam

Pharmacokinetics          - oral administration

                        - rapidly absorbed with bioavailability ~ 90%

                        - highly metabolised in liver

                        - excretion in urine (<2% unchanged drug) and into breast milk

                        - t1/2 2-11 hours

Side effects

CNS: somnolence, dizziness, disorientation, depression, memory disturbance, decreased libido

CVS: hypotension

GI: constipation, decrease appetite

Others: dysmenorrhoea

Drug-drug interactions

+ cimetidine, disulfiram, OC = increase clonazepam effect

+ CYP inducer (carbamazepine, barbiturates, phenytoin) = reduce p [clonazepam]

+ digoxin = increase p [digoxin]

+ theophylline = antagonize sedative effect