Valproic Acid (Essay Sample)

PART A Student’s Name Institutional Affiliation Professor’s Name Course Code Date Introduction Valproic acid (VPA) is the anti-epileptic drug that serve as mood stabilizer for bipolar disorder and schizophrenia among others. It is a petite molecule that acts as a neurotransmitter to increase the production of GABA, which decreases stress (Chen et al., 2023). Clinical Steps to be taken The main clinical steps that need be taken into consideration by the healthcare provider in regard to using VPA in mood stability are as follows. Before writing the prescription, it is imperative to assess the medical, family histories, and other conditions like liver disease, pancreatitis, urea cycle disorders, or blood disorders for which the medication could be contraindicated. Physician should also take into account the patient's current medicine for possible drug interactions problem. Pregnant women and especially women in childbearing age may suffer serious consequences through VPA exposure including the neural tube defects (Miura et al., 2019). Apart from that, developmental delays may be also observed in their children. If the patient has any major or existing co-morbidity, then a complete blood count, metabolic panel and even ammonia levels should be taken as the baseline lab work. The doctor must give a briefing on potential side effects like nausea, vomiting, indigestion, drowsiness, and tremor that is usually common mostly during the initial period of treatment which later disappears with time. They must not only be taught about the possible side effects of these drugs, such as rare but serious allergic reactions like rash, unusual bruising, and liver toxicity, but also about their importance in the treatment of mental illnesses. Making patient-specific lifestyle recommendations to avoid alcohol takes a great deal of weight as well (Yasui-Furukori et al., 2020). The starting dosage should be selected carefully depending on the patient’s age, overall health, and current medications. The beginning dosage is typically low at only 200-500mg per day. The dose is given in a stepwise manner and the practitioner should clarify this to patients by outlining the dose, tolerability, and clinical impact. The continuous patient monitoring seeks to ensure good compliance and outcomes, while preventing or reducing the incidence of undesirable reactions. Follow up 2 weeks after initiation and dose changes checks for efficacy and side effects. Medication should be discontinued or reduced of the side effects do not decrease. The recommended laboratory tests including liver function need to be measured once at initial assessment, sporadically during the treatment period, and whenever there is a chance to change the dose. The monitoring frequency may be different for patients who have been on therapy longer and those who may be at higher risk (Puranen et al., 2023). The dose should be properly adjusted based on the side effects or worsening symptoms that the patient may be experiencing. Slow withdrawal is recommended to minimize the possibility of a relapse or the reemergence of visual hallucinations when VPA is taken after long periods of therapy. Conclusion VPA treatment coordination with patient’s therapy and the community support system is very critical. VPA ...