A patient who has been prescribed ethosuximide (Zarontin) twice daily (every 12 hours) for absence seizures reports that the morning dose was missed 10 hours ago. What is the nurse's best advice?
a. "Skip today's second dose as well as the dose you already missed."
b. "Take the missed dose now and the regularly scheduled dose in 2 hours."
c. "Take the missed dose and the regularly scheduled second dose immediately."
d. "Take the regularly scheduled second dose now and forget about the morning dose."
D
It is important to try to keep to the dosing schedule to maintain blood levels of antiseizure drugs and prevent seizures. However, it has now been 10 hours since the missed dose. Taking it now and also taking the regularly scheduled second dose could cause blood levels to be too high. The missed dose should not be taken at all. The second dose can be taken now or at its regularly scheduled time.
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