Review Article
Makhlouf S,Mansour M, Msselmen
Abstract
The epilepsy care was marked in 1967 by the discovery of Sodium Valproate, a broad spectrum molecule, which finds its indication both in focal and generalized epileptic seizures. The objective of our work was to highlight and study the clinical side effects inducted by Sodium Valproate in a Tunisian population. A questionnaire was filled for each patient. This permitted us to collect the following information: age, sex, pathological history, therapeutic modalities, the other associated medicines and the different adverse effects reported by patients. We included the epileptic patients treated by Sodium Valproate in monotherapy since at least one year with a good patient’s compliance and a rate of Sodium Valproate in the therapeutic range. We excluded the patients taking other antiepileptic medicines in association with Sodium Valproate; children and newborns unable to respond individually to the questionnaire and patients whose files are incomplete. Seventy four patients were included in the study. The average age was 38.9 years. Sex ratio was 1:7. The side effects observed were: Behavioral disorders (58%) Headache (55%) Weight gain (43%) Slowness of execution of movements (20%) Tremor (34%) Gastrointestinal disorders (35%) Memory disorder (34%) Endocrine disorders (12%). Sodium Valproate remains the reference molecule in the treatment of epilepsy especially in developing countries. Although it is a previously used molecule, the side effects of Sodium valproate still attract interest today. Medical profession should focus its attention on the potentially embarrassing or serious side effects of Sodium Valproate.