Phenobarbital
Sample: Serum (Taken just before the next dose)
Schedule: Daily
Units: μg/mL
Range: 20 - 40 μg/mL
Remarks: Phenobarbital (belongs to the barbiturates group of drugs), is effective in generalized and partial seizures. Complex seizures do not respond well to this drug. Although phenobarbital is the drug of choice for neonates and young children many neurologists prefer less sedating drugs, such as carbamazepine, phenytoin, or valproate (because of concern about adverse neuropsychological reactions to sedative/hypnotic antiepileptic drugs).
