Is
valproate an effective drug for acute mood changes in bipolar disorder?
The treatment of bipolar disorder is not very satisfactory
and the majority of individuals are constantly switched on a variety of drugs.
Many psychiatrists place patients on valproate, but there is very little data
on effectiveness of the drug. Review of the literature indicates that there are
no major differences between efficacy of valproate and lithium or between
valproate and carbamazepine.
Overall, it appears that valproate may be slightly
less effective in decreasing manic symptoms than olanzapine but it causes less
lethargy, sedation
and weight
gain. If your manic symptoms are mild, then perhaps valproate is not a
bad medication. Unfortunately, the effects of valproate are not sustained in
the long run.
