Clinical use
Clonazepam testing is used to monitor the therapy and dosages being given to patients, it is also used to determine compliance of patients to the treatment. Clinicians check clonazepam level to assess toxicity.
Background
Clonazepam is a long-acting benzodiazepine restricted in use to those patients who have responded for seizure control only to diazepam, but who no longer respond to diazepam within non-toxic levels. It is an effective anticonvulsant, but used only as a last resort due to its side effects.
Clonazepam is benzodiazepine derivative that is useful alone or as an adjunct in the treatment of the Lennix-Gastaut syndrome (petit mal variant), akinetic and myoclonic seizures. Clonazepam has been shown to be effective in patients with absence seizures (petit mal) who have failed to respond to succinimide therapy. In some studies, up to 30% of patients have shown a loss of anticonvulsant activity, often within three months of administration. In some cases, dosage adjustment may re-establish efficiency.
Reference ranges
80 – 270 nmol/L
Patient preparation
None required
Specimen requirements
Serum – Plain (red top) Tube
Turnaround time
4 weeks
Referred test
Referred test
Location
National Society for Epilepsy