SIDE EFFECTS
Adverse reactions may include xerostomia; urinary
hesitancy and retention; blurred vision; tachycardia; palpitation; mydriasis;
cycloplegia; increased ocular tension; loss of taste sense; headache;
nervousness; drowsiness; weakness; dizziness; insomnia; nausea; vomiting;
impotence; suppression of lactation; constipation; bloated feeling;
musculoskeletal pain; severe allergic reaction or drug idiosyncrasies,
including anaphylaxis, urticaria, and other dermal manifestations; and
decreased sweating.
Acquired hypersensitivity to barbiturates consists
chiefly in allergic reactions that occur especially in persons who tend to have
asthma, urticaria, angioedema, and similar conditions. Hypersensitivity
reactions in this category include localized swelling, particularly of the
eyelids, cheeks, or lips, and erythematous dermatitis. Rarely, exfoliative
dermatitis (e.g. Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis) may
be caused by phenobarbital and can prove fatal. The skin eruption may be
associated with fever, delirium, and marked degenerative changes in the liver
and other parenchymatous organs. In a few cases, megaloblastic anemia has been
associated with the chronic use of phenobarbital.
Phenobarbital may produce excitement in some patients,
rather than a sedative effect.
To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact
Concordia Pharmaceuticals Inc. at 1-877-370-1142 or the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088
or www.fda.gov/medwatch.
Drug Abuse And Dependence
Abuse
Phenobarbital may be habit forming and should not be
administered to individuals known to be addiction prone or to those with a
history of physical and/ or psychological dependence upon drugs (see WARNINGS).
Dependence
In patients habituated to barbiturates, abrupt withdrawal
may produce delirium or convulsions.
DRUG INTERACTIONS
Phenobarbital may decrease the effect of anticoagulants,
and necessitate larger doses of the anticoagulant for optimal effect. When the
phenobarbital is discontinued, the dose of the anticoagulant may have to be
decreased.