Uses of Sodium Valproate

Sodium Valproate is used in the treatment of epilepsy (fits) and complex partial seizures (adults and children 10 years of age and older) and simple and complex absence seizures, with or without other types of seizure. It is used to manage or control mania caused by bipolar disorder. It is used to Prevent migraine headaches.

Therapeutic Category

Sodium Valproate: Anticonvulsants 

How Sodium Valproate works

Sodium Valproate works by acting on GABA (? aminobutyric acid) levels in the CNS, whose inhibitory activity is impaired in seizures and also in migraine headaches. It may also exert antiepileptic effects by reducing the high-frequency firing (excessive discharge) of nerve cells. Sodium Valproate stabilizes mood by stabilizing the levels of chemicals in your brain that are responsible to affect your mood.

Common side effects of Sodium Valproate

• stomach pain, nausea or vomiting
• diarrhoea, constipation
• dry or sore mouth, or swollen gums
• shakes (tremors) in a part of the body, or unusual eye movements
• feeling tired or sleepiness
• headache, dizziness
• weakness, shakiness
• blurry or double vision
• weight gain
• Mood changes
• Insomnia
• rash, nervousness
• thinning hair, or changes to the color or texture of hair, hair loss
• irregular or delayed periods, pain an injection site
• increased or decreased appetite
• problems with walking or coordination
• Ringing sensation in ears
• Bruising or bleeding under the skin
• Muscle pain
• Shortness of breath

When to consult your doctor

Consult your doctor if you experience:

• Thoughts of harming or killing yourself
• An allergic reaction (rash, joint pain, fever (systemic lupus erythematosus), swallowing or breathing problems, swelling of your lips, face, throat or tongue, lymph node enlargement and possible impairment of other organs
• Liver problems and problems of the pancreas may show as a sudden illness (feeling and being sick many times; being very tired, sleepy and weak, stomach pain, jaundice, loss of appetite, swelling of legs, worsening of fits
• Skin rash or skin lesions with a pink/red ring and a pale center which may be itchy, scaly or filled with fluid (on the palms or soles of your feet, can be erythema multiforme)
• Blistering or bleeding of the skin around the lips, eyes, mouth, nose and genitals, flu-like symptoms and fever (Stevens-Johnson syndrome)
• Severe blistering rash where layers of the skin may peel off to leave large areas of raw exposed skin over the body, unwell, fever, chills and aching muscles (toxic epidermal necrolysis)
• Bruising more easily and getting more infections than usual (thrombocytopenia), blood clotting problems
• Changes in mood, loss of memory, lack of concentration and coma
• Hypothyroidism, which may cause tiredness or weight gain
• Breathing difficulty and pain due to inflammation of the lungs
• Changes in behavior including being very alert and sometimes also aggressive, hyperactive and unusual or inappropriate behavior
• Changes in the amount of ammonia in the blood (being sick, problems with balance and co-ordination, feeling lethargic or less alert)
• Feeling shaky (tremor), sleepy or unsteady when walking or jerky muscle movements.
• Rapid, uncontrollable movement of the eyes
• Increase in the number and severity of convulsions
• Liver damage, inflammation of the pancreas, bedwetting, renal dysfunction, overgrowth of gum tissue, aggression, agitation, disturbance in attention, abnormal behavior, hyperactivity and learning disorder in children
• Kidney disease or kidney problems (renal failure, tubulointerstitial nephritis and Fanconi syndrome) which may manifest as reduced urinary output or blood in the urine
• Confusion, which could be due to decreased levels of sodium in your blood (Syndrome of Inappropriate Antidiuretic Hormone (SIADH) secretion)
• Toxic epidermal necrolysis or Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (blistering, peeling or bleeding of your lips, eyes, mouth, nose, genitals, hands or feet with or without rash, fever, chills or aching muscles)
• Erythema multiforme (skin rash especially on palms or feet, or lesions with a pink or red ring and a pale center which may be itchy, scaly or filled with fluid)
• Angioedema or an anaphylactic reaction (allergy-triggered swelling with painful itchy welts around the eyes, lips, throat and sometimes hands and feet, trouble swallowing or breathing)
• Drug Rash with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DRESS) causing skin rash, fever, lymph node enlargement and possible impairment of other organs
• Pancreatic problems (severe stomach pain that might spread in your back, nausea or vomiting that does not go away)
• Decreased platelet count (spontaneous bruising or bleeding due to blood clotting problems, or getting more infections than usual)
• Severe decrease of white blood cells or bone marrow failure (fever and breathing difficulty)
• Low red blood cell count or abnormally increased red blood cell size
• Pancytopenia (bone marrow disorders that affect red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets)
• Jerky muscle movements
• Increased blood ammonia levels (problems with balance and co-ordination, feeling lethargic or less alert, associated with vomiting, changes in mental status)
• Underactive thyroid gland (tiredness or weight gain)
• Inflammation of the envelope of the lungs (breathing difficulty and pain)
• Rapid, uncontrollable eye movements
• Worsening of fits
• Muscle pain and weakness
• Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) causing joint pain, fever, fatigue or rash
• Kidney problems (renal failure, tubulointerstitial nephritis and Fanconi syndrome) which may cause reduced urinary output or blood in the urine
• Syndrome of Inappropriate Antidiuretic Hormone (SIADH) secretion causing confusion
• Suicidal thoughts or actions (thoughts about dying, attempts to commit suicide, new or worse depression, anxiety or irritability, agitation, restlessness, panic attacks, trouble sleeping (insomnia), aggression, anger, violence, acting on dangerous impulses, extreme excitability, other unusual changes in behavior or mood)
• Very low body temperature
• Drowsiness or sleepiness (elderly)
• In case of accidental overdose or ingestion

Health Tips for Sodium Valproate

• Follow regular physical exercise and healthy eating habits
• Reduce stress levels by doing meditation or stretching exercise. Rest and relax
• Maintain a healthy sleep cycle for 8 hours
• Tell your doctor if you are taking, have taken, or might take any other medicine, including prescription, non-prescription or any herbal medicine
• Ramipril is not recommended for use in pregnant and breast-feeding women