Table 3.
Carbohydrate content in pediatric antiepileptic medications and daily total carbohydrate estimates for a five-year-old child (weighing 18 kg) on maximum monotherapy of antiepileptic drugs treatment doses (concerns for the patient on a ketogenic diet) [5]a. Medications with high carbohydrate content (≥2 g per dose) are highlighted in bold.
| Antiepileptic medication | Dosage unit | Grams carbohydrate per dosage unit | Maximum daily dose for an 18 kg 5-year-old child | Daily carbohydrate total from maximum dosing of medication for a 18 kg 5-year-old child (grams) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carbamazepine suspension (TEGretol) | 100 mg/5 mL | 2.65 | 35 mg/kg/day | 16.7 |
| Carbamazepine chewable tablets (TEGretol) | 100 mg | 0.28 | 35 mg/kg/day | 1.8 |
| Carbamazepine tablets (TEGretol) | 200 mg | 0.06 | 35 mg/kg/day | 0.2 |
| ClonazePAM tablets (KlonoPIN) | 2 mg | 0.14 | 0.2 mg/kg/day | 0.3 |
| Ethosuximide syrup (Zarontin) | 250 mg/5 mL | 3.63 | 1.5 g/day | 21.8 |
| Ethosuximide capsules (Zarontin) | 250 mg | 0.13 | 1.5 g/day | 0.78 |
| Felbamate solution (Felbatol) | 600 mg/5 mL | 1.5 | 45 mg/kg/day | 2 |
| Felbamate tablets (Felbatol) | 400 mg | 0.13 | 45 mg/kg/day | 0.3 |
| Felbamate tablets (Felbatol) | 600 mg | 0.19 | 45 mg/kg/day | 0.3 |
| Gabapentin tablets (Neurontin) | 100 mg | 0.03 | 40 mg/kg/day | 0.2 |
| Gabapentin tablets (Neurontin) | 300 mg | 0.07 | 40 mg/kg/day | 0.2 |
| Gabapentin tablets (Neurontin) | 400 mg | 0.1 | 40 mg/kg/day | 0.2 |
| LamoTRIgine tablets (LaMICtal) | 25 mg | 0.03 | 10 mg/kg/day | 0.2 |
| LamoTRIgine tablets (LaMICtal) | 100 mg | 0.11 | 10 mg/kg/day | 0.2 |
| LamoTRIgine tablets (LaMICtal) | 150 mg | 0.16 | 10 mg/kg/day | 0.2 |
| LamoTRIgine tablets (LaMICtal) | 200 mg | 0.14 | 10 mg/kg/day | 0.1 |
| LamoTRIgine chewable/dispersible tablets (LaMICtal) | 5 mg, 25 mg | 0 | 10 mg/kg/day | 0 |
| Levetiracetam oral solution (Keppra) | 100 mg/mL | 0.3 | 10 mg/kg/day | 0.5 |
| Phenobarbital elixir *0.71 g ethyl alcohol/5 mL | 20 mg/5 mL | 3.4 | 5 mg/kg/day | 15.3 |
| Phenobarbital tablets | 15 mg | 0.06 | 5 mg/kg/day | 0.4 |
| Phenobarbital tablets | 30 mg | 0.07 | 5 mg/kg/day | 0.2 |
| Phenobarbital tablets | 60 mg | 0.1 | 5 mg/kg/day | 0.2 |
| Phenytoin suspension (Dilantin) | 125 mg/5 mL | 1.39 | 8 mg/kg/day | 1.6 |
| Phenytoin infatabs (Dilantin) | 50 mg | 0.48 | 8 mg/kg/day | 1.4 |
| Phenytoin kapseal (Dilantin) | 30 mg | 0.15 | 8 mg/kg/day | 0.7 |
| Phenytoin kapseal (Dilantin) | 100 mg | 0.11 | 8 mg/kg/day | 0.2 |
| Primidone oral suspension (Mysoline) | 250 mg/5 mL | 0 | 25 mg/kg/day | 0 |
| Primidone tablets (Mysoline) | 50 mg | 0.03 | 25 mg/kg/day | 0.27 |
| Primidone tablets (Mysoline) | 250 mg | 0.03 | 25 mg/kg/day | 0.1 |
| Sodium divalproex sprinkle capsules (Depakote) | 125 mg | 0.05 | 60 mg/kg/day | 0.4 |
| Sodium divalproex tablets (Depakote) | 125 mg | 0.03 | 60 mg/kg/day | 0.3 |
| Sodium divalproex tablets (Depakote) | 250 mg | 0.05 | 60 mg/kg/day | 0.2 |
| Sodium divalproex tablets (Depakote) | 500 mg | 0.1 | 60 mg/kg/day | 0.2 |
| Topiramate tablets (Topamax) | 25 mg | 0.04 | 9 mg/kg/day | 0.3 |
| Topiramate tablets (Topamax) | 100 mg | 0.17 | 9 mg/kg/day | 0.3 |
| Topiramate tablets (Topamax) | 200 mg | 0.09 | 9 mg/kg/day | 0.1 |
| Valproic acid syrup (Depakene) | 250 mg/5 mL | 4.5 | 60 mg/kg/day | 19.4 |
| Valproic acid capsules (Depakene) | 250 mg | 0 | 60 mg/kg/day | 0 |
aFor a five-year-old child weighing 18 kg, the maximum recommended carbohydrate amount is 21 g per day for the 3 : 1 classic ketogenic diet.