Depacon
- Generic Name: valproate sodium injection
- Brand Name: Depacon
Depacon (Valproate Sodium Injection) side effects drug center
Depacon Side Effects Center
What Is Depacon?
Depacon (valproate sodium) Injection is an antiepileptic used to treat various types of seizure disorders. Depacon is available in generic form.
Common side effects of Depacon include:
- dizziness,
- headache,
- nausea,
- vomiting,
- abdominal pain,
- diarrhea,
- sleepiness,
- weakness,
- changes in taste,
- numbness or tingling of the skin,
- pain or inflammation at the injection site,
- chest pain,
- sweating,
- euphoria,
- nervousness,
- tremor,
- sore throat,
- reduced sensation of touch,
- fever,
- loss of appetite,
- indigestion,
- constipation,
- vision problems,
- loss of control of body movements,
- mood changes,
- amnesia,
- flu symptoms,
- bronchitis,
- runny or stuffy nose,
- hair loss, and
- weight loss.
What Are Side Effects of Depacon?
Dosage for Depacon
Patients should initiate therapy with Depacon at 10 to 15 mg/kg/day. The dosage should be increased by 5 to 10 mg/kg/week to achieve optimal clinical response, usually achieved at daily doses below 60 mg/kg/day.
What Drugs, Substances, or Supplements Interact with Depacon?
Depacon may interact with aspirin, felbamate, meropenem, rifampin, amitriptyline, nortriptyline, carbamazepine, clonazepam, diazepam, ethosuximide, lamotrigine, phenobarbital, phenytoin, tolbutamide, topiramate, warfarin, or zidovudine. Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use.
Depacon During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
Depacon should be used during pregnancy only if the benefits outweigh the risks. It may harm a fetus. Depacon passes into breast milk. The effect on a nursing infant is unknown. Consult your doctor before breastfeeding.
Additional Information
Our Depacon (valproate sodium) Side Effects Drug Center provides a comprehensive view of available drug information on the potential side effects when taking this medication.
Depacon Professional Information
SIDE EFFECTS
The following serious adverse reactions are described below and elsewhere in the labeling:
- Hepatic failure [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS]
- Birth defects [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS]
- Decreased IQ following in utero exposure [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS]
- Pancreatitis [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS]
- Hyperammonemic encephalopathy [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS]
- Bleeding and other hematopoietic disorders [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS]
- Hypothermia [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS]
- Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DRESS)/Multiorgan hypersensitivity reactions [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS]
- Somnolence in the elderly [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS]
Because clinical studies are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical studies of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical studies of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice.
The adverse reactions that can result from Depacon use include all of those associated with oral forms of valproate. The following describes experience specifically with Depacon. Depacon has been generally well tolerated in clinical trials involving 111 healthy adult male volunteers and 352 patients with epilepsy, given at doses of 125 to 6,000 mg (total daily dose). A total of 2% of patients discontinued treatment with Depacon due to adverse reactions. The most common adverse reactions leading to discontinuation were 2 cases each of nausea/vomiting and elevated amylase. Other adverse reactions leading to discontinuation were hallucinations, pneumonia, headache, injection site reaction, and abnormal gait. Dizziness and injection site pain were observed more frequently at a 100 mg/min infusion rate than at rates up to 33 mg/min. At a 200 mg/min rate, dizziness and taste perversion occurred more frequently than at a 100 mg/min rate. The maximum rate of infusion studied was 200 mg/min.
Adverse reactions reported by at least 0.5% of all subjects/patients in clinical trials of Depacon are summarized in Table 1.
Table 1. Adverse Reactions Reported During Studies of Depacon
| Body System/Reaction | N = 463 % |
| Body as a Whole | |
| Headache | 4.3 |
| Injection Site Pain | 2.6 |
| Injection Site Reaction | 2.4 |
| Chest Pain | 1.7 |
| Pain (unspecified) | 1.3 |
| Injection Site Inflammation | 0.6 |
| Cardiovascular | |
| Vasodilation | 0.9 |
| Dermatologic | |
| Sweating | 0.9 |
| Digestive System | |
| Nausea | 3.2 |
| Vomiting | 1.3 |
| Abdominal Pain | 1.1 |
| Diarrhea | 0.9 |
| Nervous System | |
| Dizziness | 5.2 |
| Somnolence | 1.7 |
| Euphoria | 0.9 |
| Nervousness | 0.9 |
| Paresthesia | 0.9 |
| Hypesthesia | 0.6 |
| Tremor | 0.6 |
| Respiratory | |
| Pharyngitis | 0.6 |
| Special Senses | |
| Taste Perversion | 1.9 |
In a separate clinical safety trial, 112 patients with epilepsy were given infusions of Depacon (up to 15 mg/kg) over 5 to 10 minutes (1.5-3.0 mg/kg/min). The common adverse reactions (> 2%) were somnolence (10.7%), dizziness (7.1%), paresthesia (7.1%), asthenia (7.1%), nausea (6.3%), and headache (2.7%). While the incidence of these adverse reactions was generally higher than in Table 1 (experience encompassing the standard, much slower infusion rates), e.g., somnolence (1.7%), dizziness (5.2%), paresthesia (0.9%), asthenia (0%), nausea (3.2%), and headache (4.3%), a direct comparison between the incidence of adverse reactions in the 2 cohorts cannot be made because of differences in patient populations and study designs.
Ammonia levels have not been systematically studied after IV valproate, so that an estimate of the incidence of hyperammonemia after IV Depacon cannot be provided. Hyperammonemia with encephalopathy has been reported in 2 patients after infusions of Depacon.
Epilepsy
The data described in the following section were obtained using Depakote (divalproex sodium) tablets.
Based on a placebo-controlled trial of adjunctive therapy for treatment of complex partial seizures, Depakote (divalproex sodium) was generally well tolerated with most adverse reactions rated as mild to moderate in severity. Intolerance was the primary reason for discontinuation in the Depakote-treated patients (6%), compared to 1% of placebo-treated patients.
Table 2 lists treatment-emergent adverse reactions which were reported by ≥ 5% of Depakotetreated patients and for which the incidence was greater than in the placebo group, in the placebo-controlled trial of adjunctive therapy for treatment of complex partial seizures. Since patients were also treated with other antiepilepsy drugs, it is not possible, in most cases, to determine whether the following adverse reactions can be ascribed to Depakote alone, or the combination of Depakote and other antiepilepsy drugs.
Table 2. Adverse Reactions Reported by ≥ 5% of Patients Treated with Depakote During Placebo-Controlled Trial of Adjunctive Therapy for Complex Partial Seizures
| Body System/Reaction | Depakote (n = 77) % | Placebo (n = 70) % |
| Body as a Whole | ||
| Headache | 31 | 21 |
| Asthenia | 27 | 7 |
| Fever | 6 | 4 |
| Gastrointestinal System | ||
| Nausea | 48 | 14 |
| Vomiting | 27 | 7 |
| Abdominal Pain | 23 | 6 |
| Diarrhea | 13 | 6 |
| Anorexia | 12 | 0 |
| Dyspepsia | 8 | 4 |
| Constipation | 5 | 1 |
| Nervous System | ||
| Somnolence | 27 | 11 |
| Tremor | 25 | 6 |
| Dizziness | 25 | 13 |
| Diplopia | 16 | 9 |
| Amblyopia/Blurred Vision | 12 | 9 |
| Ataxia | 8 | 1 |
| Nystagmus | 8 | 1 |
| Emotional Lability | 6 | 4 |
| Thinking Abnormal | 6 | 0 |
| Amnesia | 5 | 1 |
| Respiratory System | ||
| Flu Syndrome | 12 | 9 |
| Infection | 12 | 6 |
| Bronchitis | 5 | 1 |
| Rhinitis | 5 | 4 |
| Other | ||
| Alopecia | 6 | 1 |
| Weight Loss | 6 | 0 |
Table 3 lists treatment-emergent adverse reactions which were reported by ≥ 5% of patients in the high dose valproate group, and for which the incidence was greater than in the low dose group, in a controlled trial of Depakote monotherapy treatment of complex partial seizures. Since patients were being titrated off another antiepilepsy drug during the first portion of the trial, it is not possible, in many cases, to determine whether the following adverse reactions can be ascribed to Depakote alone, or the combination of valproate and other antiepilepsy drugs.
Table 3. Adverse Reactions Reported by ≥ 5% of Patients in the High Dose Group in the Controlled Trial of Valproate Monotherapy for Complex Partial Seizures1
| Body System/Reaction | High Dose (n = 131) % | Low Dose (n = 134) % |
| Body as a Whole | ||
| Asthenia | 21 | 10 |
| Digestive System | ||
| Nausea | 34 | 26 |
| Diarrhea | 23 | 19 |
| Vomiting | 23 | 15 |
| Abdominal Pain | 12 | 9 |
| Anorexia | 11 | 4 |
| Dyspepsia | 11 | 10 |
| Hemic/Lymphatic System | ||
| Thrombocytopenia | 24 | 1 |
| Ecchymosis | 5 | 4 |
| Metabolic/Nutritional | ||
| Weight Gain | 9 | 4 |
| Peripheral Edema | 8 | 3 |
| Nervous System | ||
| Tremor | 57 | 19 |
| Somnolence | 30 | 18 |
| Dizziness | 18 | 13 |
| Insomnia | 15 | 9 |
| Nervousness | 11 | 7 |
| Amnesia | 7 | 4 |
| Nystagmus | 7 | 1 |
| Depression | 5 | 4 |
| Respiratory System | ||
| Infection | 20 | 13 |
| Pharyngitis | 8 | 2 |
| Dyspnea | 5 | 1 |
| Skin and Appendages | ||
| Alopecia | 24 | 13 |
| Special Senses | ||
| Amblyopia/Blurred Vision | 8 | 4 |
| Tinnitus | 7 | 1 |
| 1 Headache was the only adverse reaction that occurred in ≥ 5% of patients in the high dose group and at an equal or greater incidence in the low dose group. | ||
The following additional adverse reactions were reported by greater than 1% but less than 5% of the 358 patients treated with valproate in the controlled trials of complex partial seizures:
Body as a Whole: Back pain, chest pain, malaise.
Cardiovascular System: Tachycardia, hypertension, palpitation.
Digestive System: Increased appetite, flatulence, hematemesis, eructation, pancreatitis, periodontal abscess.
Hemic and Lymphatic System: Petechia.
Metabolic and Nutritional Disorders: SGOT increased, SGPT increased.
Musculoskeletal System: Myalgia, twitching, arthralgia, leg cramps, myasthenia.
Nervous System: Anxiety, confusion, abnormal gait, paresthesia, hypertonia, incoordination, abnormal dreams, personality disorder.
Respiratory System: Sinusitis, cough increased, pneumonia, epistaxis.
Skin and Appendages: Rash, pruritus, dry skin.
Special Senses: Taste perversion, abnormal vision, deafness, otitis media.
Urogenital System: Urinary incontinence, vaginitis, dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, urinary frequency.
Mania
Although Depacon has not been evaluated for safety and efficacy in the treatment of manic episodes associated with bipolar disorder, the following adverse reactions not listed above were reported by 1% or more of patients from two placebo-controlled clinical trials of Depakote (divalproex sodium) tablets.
Body as a Whole: Chills, neck pain, neck rigidity.
Cardiovascular System: Hypotension, postural hypotension, vasodilation.
Digestive System: Fecal incontinence, gastroenteritis, glossitis.
Musculoskeletal System: Arthrosis.
Nervous System: Agitation, catatonic reaction, hypokinesia, reflexes increased, tardive dyskinesia, vertigo.
Skin and Appendages: Furunculosis, maculopapular rash, seborrhea.
Special Senses: Conjunctivitis, dry eyes, eye pain.
Urogenital: Dysuria.
Migraine
Although Depacon has not been evaluated for safety and efficacy in the prophylactic treatment of migraine headaches, the following adverse reactions not listed above were reported by 1% or more of patients from two placebo-controlled clinical trials of Depakote (divalproex sodium) tablets.
Body as a Whole: Face edema.
Digestive System: Dry mouth, stomatitis.
Urogenital System: Cystitis, metrorrhagia, and vaginal hemorrhage.
Postmarketing Experience
The following adverse reactions have been identified during post approval use of Depakote. Because these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure.
Dermatologic: Hair texture changes, hair color changes, photosensitivity, erythema multiforme, toxic epidermal necrolysis, nail and nail bed disorders, and Stevens-Johnson syndrome.
Psychiatric: Emotional upset, psychosis, aggression, psychomotor hyperactivity, hostility, disturbance in attention, learning disorder, and behavioral deterioration.
Neurologic: Paradoxical convulsion, parkinsonism
There have been several reports of acute or subacute cognitive decline and behavioral changes (apathy or irritability) with cerebral pseudoatrophy on imaging associated with valproate therapy; both the cognitive/behavioral changes and cerebral pseudoatrophy reversed partially or fully after valproate discontinuation.
There have been reports of acute or subacute encephalopathy in the absence of elevated ammonia levels, elevated valproate levels, or neuroimaging changes. The encephalopathy reversed partially or fully after valproate discontinuation.
Musculoskeletal: Fractures, decreased bone mineral density, osteopenia, osteoporosis, and weakness.
Hematologic: Relative lymphocytosis, macrocytosis, leucopenia, anemia including macrocytic with or without folate deficiency, bone marrow suppression, pancytopenia, aplastic anemia, agranulocytosis, and acute intermittent porphyria.
Endocrine: Irregular menses, secondary amenorrhea, hyperandrogenism, hirsutism, elevated testosterone level, breast enlargement, galactorrhea, parotid gland swelling, polycystic ovary disease, decreased carnitine concentrations, hyponatremia, hyperglycinemia, and inappropriate ADH secretion.
There have been rare reports of Fanconi's syndrome occurring chiefly in children.
Metabolism and nutrition: Weight gain.
Reproductive: Aspermia, azoospermia, decreased sperm count, decreased spermatozoa motility, male infertility, and abnormal spermatozoa morphology.
Genitourinary: Enuresis and urinary tract infection.
Special Senses: Hearing loss.
Other: Allergic reaction, anaphylaxis, developmental delay, bone pain, bradycardia, and cutaneous vasculitis.
Read the entire FDA prescribing information for Depacon (Valproate Sodium Injection)
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