MSN, RN – Chief Nursing Officer
Depakote is a common medication that has been available in the United States since 1983, which indicates its efficacy and experience with seizure activity has been utilized for many years. Depakote is a brand name used in the United States for a specific medication known as divalproex sodium and it is currently not available in every country.
The active ingredient in Depakote changes to valproate once in the body, so many may also recognize this name as well. The medication is used to treat complex partial seizures, complex absence seizures, and simple complex absence seizures.
Nurses administer Depakote for seizures or have a history of seizure disorder. It is important to not skip any doses of Depakote, as this can increase the seizure threshold for individuals and therapeutic blood levels need to be maintained by taking the medication as prescribed.
For brain cells to work properly and to fire at a certain rate, the brain cells must be regulated. When seizure activity occurs, brain cells become “chaotic” and are forced to work much more rapidly and harder than normal.
Once an individual takes Depakote, it helps to prevent brain cells from working as fast as a seizure requires them to do so. Due to this, seizure activity can be stopped in the early stages. Even though doctors do not completely understand how Depakote works, many doctors have used it for an extended length of time and know that it works in various ways to effectively treat several different types of seizures.
Scientists do not know the exact mechanism and action of Depakote, but the most popular theory states that the medication increases the concentration of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the brain.
GABA is known as a neurotransmitter that allows nerves to communicate with each other. Depakote is used to treat complex partial seizures, complex absence seizures, and simple complex absence seizures and usually begins to be absorbed in the body within a few hours after taken; however, the improvement of symptoms may not be noted until about six to eight weeks after initiation of the medication.
If no improvements are noted after this time period, it is important to contact one’s medical provider to receive any further recommendations. While taking Depakote, the fasting blood levels, liver function tests, and a complete blood count should be completed every three to six months to ensure therapeutic levels are being maintained.
Depakote comes in delayed-release tablets, extended-release tablets, and sprinkle capsules and can be used alone or in combination with other medications. The medication can be used safely in children and adults 10 years of age and older.
Most individuals that use Depakote for seizures do not experience a great number of side effects and this is one of the greatest reasons that Depakote is so commonly used.
The most common side effects are:
Some individuals experience allergic reactions and typically rashes are not as common with Depakote; however, any rash that occurs should be reported to the nurse or medical provider immediately in order to ascertain that the rash does not indicate a serious allergic reaction.
Most individuals taking Depakote do not develop life-threatening disorders, but with all medications, there is always a small window that individuals need to be aware of any serious side effects.
Some that have taken Depakote for seizures for years have experienced bone loss and a few other disorders. It is important for individuals to take both calcium and vitamin D in order to alleviate and slow down the progression of any bone loss that may be experienced. Some doctors recommend a bone density test to identify the individuals that may need treatment for bone loss.
A few people have serious reactions to Depakote and any of following listed should be reported immediately to one’s medical provider:
It is of utmost importance that one’s medical provider be contacted first before stopping any seizure medication due to the increased risk of worsening seizure activity and mood changes. If an individual is prone to liver disease or has a history of liver disease, he/she should not take Depakote.
Also, if an individual has shown a true allergy to Depakote in the past, he/she should be prescribed a different medication instead. It is important to NEVER stop any seizure medication all at once as the problems created by doing this can be detrimental and life-threatening.
Typically, a medical provider will prescribe a low dose of Depakote to begin with and will increase the dosage gradually once the seizure activity is controlled, unless of course, the side effects become too intense during this process. Most individuals typically take Depakote two to four times daily.
Medical doctors have studied large numbers of individuals to determine how effective Depakote is with controlling seizures. The reports have shown that Depakote is very good at controlling absence seizures in many individuals that take it.
In another group, 80% of individuals with tonic-clonic seizures and related types of seizures did not experience any seizure activity during the time frame in which Depakote was administered.
Positive results of these studies do not always compare to every individual because individuals do not take their medications on time and others cannot reach seizure control with a dosage that does not create side effects.
Due to these individual differences, there is no “perfect” dosage for everyone, and adjustments must be assessed and re-evaluated to reduce seizure activity and side effects.
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