Headache zonisamide

The most commonly observed adverse events associated with the use of zonisamide were agitation/irritability, anorexia, dizziness, headache, nausea, and somnolence. 

In a double-bUnd, placebo-controUed, add-on, randomized trial of zonisamide 400 mg/day in 203 patients over 14 years of age with refractory partial-onset seizures, the response rate was 42% (3). The most common treatment-emergent adverse events were somnolence, anorexia, rhinitis, dizziness, nausea or vomiting, ataxia, fatigue, and headache. With zonisamide, 22% of the patients lost over 2.3 kg compared with 10% on placebo. 

Zonisamide versus CBZ Zonisamide and CBZ were compared in patients newly diagnosed with focal epilepsy. The most frequent adverse effects reported in both groups were headache, somnolence, dizziness, decreased appetite and weight loss. Dizziness was more frequent in the CBZ group whereas decreased appetite and weight loss were more frequent in the zonisamide group [28 ]. 

Observational studies The safety and efficacy of zonisamide for intractable focal epilepsy were investigated in 121 Korean patients taking a dose of 200 mg/day. The most common adverse events were dizziness (28.1%), somnolence (24.0%), anorexia (18.2%), headache (14%), nausea (13.2%), and weight loss (10.7%) [203 ]. 

Placebo-controlled studies A study of zonisamide for weight loss randomized participants to receive zonisamide 200 mg/day, 400 mg/day, or placebo [204 ]. Altered taste, constipation, diarrhea, dry mouth, headache, fatigue, nausea/vomiting, somnolence, language and speech problems, impaired attention or concentration, memory problems, anxiety, and depression were more common with one or both of the zonisamide doses when compared to placebo. 

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