RT Book, Section
A1 TESORO, ELJIM P.
A1 BROPHY, GRETCHEN M.
A1 COHEN, HENRY
A2 Cohen, Henry
SR Print(0)
ID 1112259380
T1 Valproic Acid
T2 Casebook in Clinical Pharmacokinetics and Drug Dosing
YR 2015
FD 2015
PB McGraw-Hill Education
PP New York, NY
SN 9780071628358
LK accesspharmacy.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1112259380
RD 2024/04/20
AB Valproic  acid  (VPA)  is  a  broad-spectrum,  carboxylic  acid-derived  anticonvulsant  that  has  been  used  in  the  treatment  of  epilepsy,  bipolar  disease,  schizophrenia,  and  migraine  headache.  Its  main  mechanism  of  action  is  not  well  understood,  but  it  is  thought  that  it  increases  the  amount  of  the  inhibitory  neurotransmitter,  gamma-aminobutyric  acid  (GABA),  in  the  central  nervous  system  (CNS).  It  comes  in  several  different  preparations  and  salt  forms  (Table  19-1).  Divalproex  sodium  is  a  mixture  of  equal  parts  of  the  acid  and  sodium  salts  of  valproic  acid.  The  delayed-release  (Depakote)  and  extended-release  (Depakote  ER)  formulations  are  not  bioequivalent.1  A  20  percent  increase  in  the  daily  dose  is  recommended  when  switching  from  Depakote  to  Depakote  ER  to  account  for  the  differences  in  rate  and  extent  of  absorption.