Phenobarbital For Seizures - What You Need To Know
I have an ongoing series on this blog, where I discuss various anti-seizure medications. How they work, their benefits, their downsides, and anything else I feel is relevant to mention. Eventually I want to cover every single epilepsy medication out there. So today, the next on the list is phenobarbital… What is phenobarbital? Phenobarbital is actually the oldest epilepsy medication that’s still in use today, since it was developed in 1912! And essentially, this medication is meant to mimic a brain chemical called GABA. By mimicking GABA, phenobarbital is able to calm overactive nerves within the body and raise the seizure threshold. Aside from its main use, which is to treat seizures, this medicine may also be used to treat anxiety or be used as a sedative. As it’s known to relax you. And actually, phenobarbital is part of a family of medications called barbiturates; which are relaxants as well. But barbiturates as a whole can be quite addictive, so sometimes phenobarbital will be pre...
