Abstracts

RATIONALE: Successful drug treatment of epileptic patients require good compliance on the patient[ssquote]s part. Compliance decreases as the number of doses increases and if the side effects of the medication is intolerable. Once-daily dosing with depakote ER should improve patient compliance especially among the adolescent population,who have low tolerance for multiple dosing and medication side effects, and hence improve their seizure control.
METHODS: From October, 2000, to date, we have 20 patients treated with once a day dose of Depakote ER. All patients were previously on Depakote DR. Ages were 12 to 17 years. Seizures were complex partial, generalized tonic-clonic, myoclonic, and absence.The average breakthrough seizure frequency was once a month, all due to subtherapeutic valproate level. The patients were switched from Depakote DR to ER immediately on a 1 mg Depakote DR to 1.25 Depakote ER ratio. Seizure frequency, and valproate level were checked on a monthly basis.
RESULTS: There were no breakthrough seizure so far when the patients were switched to Depakote ER. Serum valproate levels range from 70 to 110 micrograms/dl. Patients claim that they were more likely to remember taking the medication only once a day.They also reported less gastrointestinal complaints such as nausea, dyspepsia, and abdominal pain.
CONCLUSIONS: Depakote ER is efficacious in controlling epileptic seizures due to : (1) better patient compliance with once-a-day dosing, (2) reduced fluctuations in plasma concentrations leading to (a) potentially fewer peak-related side effects and hence, better patient tolerance, and (b) fewer sub-therapeutic serum concentrations.
Support: Abbott Pharmaceutical
Disclosure: Grant - Yes.