Acetazolamide, Serum

CPT CODE:

USEFUL FOR:

Monitoring adequacy of blood concentration during acetazolamideTherapy.
The clinical effect desired will not be achieved if the blood concentration is <10 ug/mL. Toxicity is associated with blood concentration >20 ug/mL.
Evaluating patient compliance.

SPECIMEN REQUIRED:

Draw blood in a plain, red-top tube(s). (Serum gel tube is not acceptable.) Spin down and send 2 mL of serum.

TRANSPORT TEMPERATURE:

Ambient\Refrig OK\Frozen OK

CLINICAL INFORMATION:

Acetazolamide (Diamox) is a potent inhibitor of carbonic anhydrase.
Acetazolamide is used in the treatment of glaucoma by reducingintraocular pressure secondary to a reduction in secretion of aqueoushumor, to treat the symptoms of mountain sickness (eg, headache, nausea, dizziness, drowsiness, fatigue, and shortness of breath),and as an antiepileptic and diuretic.
Acetazolamide side effects and adverse reactions include:  -Accumulation of carbon dioxide and renal loss of carbonic acid with     concurrent excretion of sodium, potassium, and water  -As a sulfonamide derivative, it may cause adverse reactions    common to this class of drugs:  paresthesias, tinnitus, metabolic    acidosis, electrolyte imbalance, and transient myopia
No cases of acute poisoning with acetazolamide have been reported.

CLINICAL INTERPRETATION:

Therapeutic concentration:  10 ug/mL  to 15 ug/mL

REFERENCE VALUES:

Therapeutic concentration:  10-15 ug/mL

Toxic concentration:  > or =20 ug/mL