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warnings and cautions
5 WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS Somnolence or Sedation: Monitor for central nervous system (CNS) depression. Risk may be increased with concomitant use of other CNS depressants ( 5.2 , 5.3 ) Withdrawal: Symptoms may occur with rapid dose reduction or discontinuation. Discontinue clobazam gradually ( 5.4 ) Serious Dermatological Reactions (including Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis): Discontinue clobazam at first sign of rash unless the rash is clearly not drug-related ( 5.5 ) Physical and Psychological Dependence: Monitor patients with a history of substance abuse for signs of habituation and dependence ( 5.6 , 9 ) Suicidal Behavior and Ideation: Monitor for suicidal thoughts or behaviors ( 5.7 ) 5.1 Risks from Concomitant Use with Opioids Concomitant use of benzodiazepines, including clobazam, and opioids may result in profound sedation, respiratory depression, coma, and death. Because of these risks, reserve concomitant prescribing of benzodiazepines and opioids for use in patients for whom alternative treatment options are inadequate. Observational studies have demonstrated that concomitant use of opioid analgesics and benzodiazepines increases the risk of drug-related mortality compared to use of opioids alone. If a decision is made to prescribe clobazam concomitantly with opioids, prescribe the lowest effective dosages and minimum durations of concomitant use, and follow patients closely for signs and symptoms of respiratory depression and sedation. Advise both patients and caregivers about the risks of respiratory depression and sedation when clobazam is used with opioids [see Drug Interactions (7.1) ] . 5.2 Potentiation of Sedation from Concomitant Use with Central Nervous System Depressants Since clobazam has a central nervous system (CNS) depressant effect, patients or their caregivers should be cautioned against simultaneous use with other CNS depressant drugs or alcohol, and cautioned that the effects of other CNS depressant drugs or alcohol may be potentiated [see Drug Interactions (7.2) ] . 5.3 Somnolence or Sedation Clobazam causes somnolence and sedation. In clinical trials, somnolence or sedation was reported at all effective doses and was dose-related. In general, somnolence and sedation begin within the first month of treatment and may diminish with continued treatment. Prescribers should monitor patients for somnolence and sedation, particularly with concomitant use of other central nervous system depressants. Prescribers should caution patients against engaging in hazardous activities requiring mental alertness, such as operating dangerous machinery or motor vehicles, until the effect of clobazam is known. 5.4 Withdrawal Symptoms Abrupt discontinuation of clobazam should be avoided. Clobazam should be tapered by decreasing the dose every week by 5 mg/day to 10 mg/day until discontinuation [see Dosage and Administration (2.2) ] . Withdrawal symptoms occurred following abrupt discontinuation of clobazam; the risk of withdrawal symptoms is greater with higher doses. As with all antiepileptic drugs, clobazam should be withdrawn gradually to minimize the risk of precipitating seizures, seizure exacerbation, or status epilepticus. Withdrawal symptoms (e.g., convulsions, psychosis, hallucinations, behavioral disorder, tremor, and anxiety) have been reported following abrupt discontinuance of benzodiazepines. The more severe withdrawal symptoms have usually been limited to patients who received excessive doses over an extended period of time, followed by an abrupt discontinuation. Generally milder withdrawal symptoms (e.g., dysphoria, anxiety, and insomnia) have been reported following abrupt discontinuance of benzodiazepines taken continuously at therapeutic doses for several months. 5.5 Serious Dermatological Reactions Serious skin reactions, including Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), have been reported with clobazam in both children and adults during the postmarketing period. Patients should be closely monitored for signs or symptoms of SJS/TEN, especially during the first 8 weeks of treatment initiation or when re-introducing therapy. Clobazam should be discontinued at the first sign of rash, unless the rash is clearly not drug-related. If signs or symptoms suggest SJS/TEN, use of this drug should not be resumed and alternative therapy should be considered [see Contraindications (4) ]. 5.6 Physical and Psychological Dependence Patients with a history of substance abuse should be under careful surveillance when receiving clobazam or other psychotropic agents because of the predisposition of such patients to habituation and dependence [see Drug Abuse and Dependence (9) ] . 5.7 Suicidal Behavior and Ideation Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), including clobazam, increase the risk of suicidal thoughts or behavior in patients taking these drugs for any indication. Patients treated with any AED for any indication should be monitored for the emergence or worsening of depression, suicidal thoughts or behavior, and/or any unusual changes in mood or behavior. Pooled analyses of 199 placebo-controlled clinical trials (mono- and adjunctive therapy) of 11 different AEDs showed that patients randomized to one of the AEDs had approximately twice the risk (adjusted relative risk 1.8, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.2, 2.7) of suicidal thinking or behavior compared to patients randomized to placebo. In these trials, which had a median treatment duration of 12 weeks, the estimated incidence rate of suicidal behavior or ideation among 27,863 AED-treated patients was 0.43%, compared to 0.24% among 16,029 placebo-treated patients, representing an increase of approximately one case of suicidal thinking or behavior for every 530 patients treated. There were four suicides in drug-treated patients in the trials and none in placebo-treated patients, but the number is too small to allow any conclusion about drug effect on suicide. The increased risk of suicidal thoughts or behavior with AEDs was observed as early as one week after starting drug treatment with AEDs and persisted for the duration of treatment assessed. Because most trials included in the analysis did not extend beyond 24 weeks, the risk of suicidal thoughts or behavior beyond 24 weeks could not be assessed. The risk of suicidal thoughts or behavior was generally consistent among drugs in the data analyzed. The finding of increased risk with AEDs of varying mechanisms of action and across a range of indications suggests that the risk applies to all AEDs used for any indication. The risk did not vary substantially by age (5 years to 100 years) in the clinical trials analyzed. Table 2 shows absolute and relative risk by indication for all evaluated AEDs. Table 2. Risk by Indication for Antiepileptic Drugs in the Pooled Analysis Indication Placebo Patients with Events per 1000 Patients Drug Patients with Events per 1000 Patients Relative Risk: Incidence of Drug Events in Drug Patients/Incidence in Placebo Patients Risk Difference: Additional Drug Patients with Events per 1000 Patients Epilepsy 1.0 3.4 3.5 2.4 Psychiatric 5.7 8.5 1.5 2.9 Other 1.0 1.8 1.9 0.9 Total 2.4 4.3 1.8 1.9 The relative risk for suicidal thoughts or behavior was higher in clinical trials for epilepsy than in clinical trials for psychiatric or other conditions, but the absolute risk differences were similar for the epilepsy and psychiatric indications. Anyone considering prescribing clobazam or any other AED must balance the risk of suicidal thoughts or behavior with the risk of untreated illness. Epilepsy and many other illnesses for which AEDs are prescribed are themselves associated with morbidity and mortality and an increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior. Should suicidal thoughts and behavior emerge during treatment, the prescriber needs to consider whether the emergence of these symptoms in any given patient may be related to the illness being treated. Patients, their caregivers, and families should be informed that AEDs increase the risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior and should be advised of the need to be alert for the emergence or worsening of the signs and symptoms of depression, any unusual changes in mood or behavior, or the emergence of suicidal thoughts, behavior, or thoughts about self-harm. Behaviors of concern should be reported immediately to healthcare providers.