Biomaterial Database

Sodium valproate in the management of intractable epilepsy: comparison with clonazepam. 1975

J W Lance, and M Anthony

Sodium valproate 400 mg.-1800 mg. daily has been used for 1-4 months in the management of 35 patients with intractable epilepsy. This preliminary report indicates that the agent is a useful addition to anti-convulsant therapy with beneficial effect to the majority of patients with gran mal, petit mal, nyoclonus and akinetic attacks. Temporal lobe epilepsy and other focal cortical seizures responded less well. There were some minor gastrointestinal and neurological side-effects which subsided with time or the reduction of dosage. The transition period while other anticonvulsants were being withdrawn was accompanied by grand mal seizures in 6 patients. It appears that sodium valproate requires 7-10 days to becoms fully active and that other anticonvulsants should be withdrawn only after the patient is established on a maintenance dosage. Comparison with clonazepam suggests that the latter is more effective in the control of petit mal and temporal lobe epilepsy but has more persistent sedative effects. Most patients transferred from other anticonvulsants to sodium valproate felt more alert and able to concentrate better.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D009207	Myoclonus	Involuntary shock-like contractions, irregular in rhythm and amplitude, followed by relaxation, of a muscle or a group of muscles. This condition may be a feature of some CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM DISEASES; (e.g., EPILEPSY, MYOCLONIC). Nocturnal myoclonus is the principal feature of the NOCTURNAL MYOCLONUS SYNDROME. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, pp102-3).	Myoclonus, Action,Myoclonus, Nocturnal,Myoclonus, Palatal,Polymyoclonus,Myoclonic Jerk,Myoclonic Jerking,Myoclonus Simplex,Myoclonus, Eyelid,Myoclonus, Intention,Myoclonus, Lower Extremity,Myoclonus, Oculopalatal,Myoclonus, Segmental,Myoclonus, Sleep,Myoclonus, Upper Extremity,Action Myoclonus,Extremity Myoclonus, Lower,Extremity Myoclonus, Upper,Eyelid Myoclonus,Intention Myoclonus,Jerk, Myoclonic,Jerking, Myoclonic,Jerks, Myoclonic,Lower Extremity Myoclonus,Myoclonic Jerks,Nocturnal Myoclonus,Oculopalatal Myoclonus,Palatal Myoclonus,Segmental Myoclonus,Simplex, Myoclonus,Sleep Myoclonus,Upper Extremity Myoclonus
D002648	Child	A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL.	Children
D002998	Clonazepam	An anticonvulsant used for several types of seizures, including myotonic or atonic seizures, photosensitive epilepsy, and absence seizures, although tolerance may develop. It is seldom effective in generalized tonic-clonic or partial seizures. The mechanism of action appears to involve the enhancement of GAMMA-AMINOBUTYRIC ACID receptor responses.	2H-1,4-Benzodiazepin-2-one, 5-(2-chlorophenyl)-1,3-dihydro-7-nitro-,Klonopin,Antelepsin,Rivotril,Ro 5-4023,Ro 54023
D004827	Epilepsy	A disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of paroxysmal brain dysfunction due to a sudden, disorderly, and excessive neuronal discharge. Epilepsy classification systems are generally based upon: (1) clinical features of the seizure episodes (e.g., motor seizure), (2) etiology (e.g., post-traumatic), (3) anatomic site of seizure origin (e.g., frontal lobe seizure), (4) tendency to spread to other structures in the brain, and (5) temporal patterns (e.g., nocturnal epilepsy). (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p313)	Aura,Awakening Epilepsy,Seizure Disorder,Epilepsy, Cryptogenic,Auras,Cryptogenic Epilepsies,Cryptogenic Epilepsy,Epilepsies,Epilepsies, Cryptogenic,Epilepsy, Awakening,Seizure Disorders
D004830	Epilepsy, Tonic-Clonic	A generalized seizure disorder characterized by recurrent major motor seizures. The initial brief tonic phase is marked by trunk flexion followed by diffuse extension of the trunk and extremities. The clonic phase features rhythmic flexor contractions of the trunk and limbs, pupillary dilation, elevations of blood pressure and pulse, urinary incontinence, and tongue biting. This is followed by a profound state of depressed consciousness (post-ictal state) which gradually improves over minutes to hours. The disorder may be cryptogenic, familial, or symptomatic (caused by an identified disease process). (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p329)	Epilepsy, Grand Mal,Epilepsy, Major,Grand Mal Seizure Disorder,Major Motor Seizure Disorder,Seizure Disorder, Tonic Clonic,Convulsions, Grand Mal,Cryptogenic Tonic-Clonic Epilepsy,Epilepsy, Tonic-Clonic, Cryptogenic,Epilepsy, Tonic-Clonic, Familial,Epilepsy, Tonic-Clonic, Symptomatic,Familial Tonic-Clonic Epilepsy,Seizure Disorder, Grand Mal,Seizure Disorder, Major Motor,Symptomatic Tonic-Clonic Epilepsy,Tonic Clonic Convulsions,Tonic-Clonic Convulsion Disorder,Tonic-Clonic Convulsion Syndrome,Tonic-Clonic Seizure Disorder,Tonic-Clonic Seizure Syndrome,Convulsion Disorder, Tonic-Clonic,Convulsion Disorders, Tonic-Clonic,Convulsion Syndrome, Tonic-Clonic,Convulsion Syndromes, Tonic-Clonic,Convulsion, Grand Mal,Convulsion, Tonic Clonic,Convulsions, Tonic Clonic,Cryptogenic Tonic Clonic Epilepsy,Cryptogenic Tonic-Clonic Epilepsies,Disorder, Tonic-Clonic Convulsion,Disorder, Tonic-Clonic Seizure,Disorders, Tonic-Clonic Convulsion,Disorders, Tonic-Clonic Seizure,Epilepsies, Cryptogenic Tonic-Clonic,Epilepsies, Familial Tonic-Clonic,Epilepsies, Symptomatic Tonic-Clonic,Epilepsies, Tonic-Clonic,Epilepsy, Cryptogenic Tonic-Clonic,Epilepsy, Familial Tonic-Clonic,Epilepsy, Symptomatic Tonic-Clonic,Epilepsy, Tonic Clonic,Familial Tonic Clonic Epilepsy,Familial Tonic-Clonic Epilepsies,Grand Mal Convulsion,Grand Mal Convulsions,Grand Mal Epilepsy,Major Epilepsies,Major Epilepsy,Seizure Disorder, Tonic-Clonic,Seizure Disorders, Tonic-Clonic,Seizure Syndrome, Tonic-Clonic,Seizure Syndromes, Tonic-Clonic,Symptomatic Tonic Clonic Epilepsy,Symptomatic Tonic-Clonic Epilepsies,Syndrome, Tonic-Clonic Convulsion,Syndrome, Tonic-Clonic Seizure,Syndromes, Tonic-Clonic Convulsion,Syndromes, Tonic-Clonic Seizure,Tonic Clonic Convulsion,Tonic Clonic Convulsion Disorder,Tonic Clonic Convulsion Syndrome,Tonic Clonic Seizure Disorder,Tonic Clonic Seizure Syndrome,Tonic-Clonic Convulsion Disorders,Tonic-Clonic Convulsion Syndromes,Tonic-Clonic Epilepsies,Tonic-Clonic Epilepsies, Cryptogenic,Tonic-Clonic Epilepsies, Familial,Tonic-Clonic Epilepsies, Symptomatic,Tonic-Clonic Epilepsy,Tonic-Clonic Epilepsy, Cryptogenic,Tonic-Clonic Epilepsy, Familial,Tonic-Clonic Epilepsy, Symptomatic,Tonic-Clonic Seizure Disorders,Tonic-Clonic Seizure Syndromes
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000293	Adolescent	A person 13 to 18 years of age.	Adolescence,Youth,Adolescents,Adolescents, Female,Adolescents, Male,Teenagers,Teens,Adolescent, Female,Adolescent, Male,Female Adolescent,Female Adolescents,Male Adolescent,Male Adolescents,Teen,Teenager,Youths
D000328	Adult	A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available.	Adults