Romanian Society of Pharmaceutical Sciences

« Back to Farmacia Journal 1/2017

VALPROIC ACID, POLYCYSTIC OVARY SYNDROME AND THE ADOLESCENT WITH EPILEPSY

CATRINEL ILIESCU, OANA TARȚA-ARSENE*, DANA CRAIU

Paediatric Neurology, Neuroscience Department, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 37 Dionisie Lupu Street, District 1, Bucharest, Romania

Download Full Article PDF

When treating epilepsy with antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) the physician will choose the most effective drug according to the electro-clinical syndrome and aetiology, with a minimum of side effects. Valproic acid (VPA) is in clinical use for almost 50 years and is often recommended because of its efficacy and broad spectrum of action. Recent years have brought new information about its possible side effects, some still debated and others definitely proven. The aim of the present paper was to discuss the association between epilepsy, chronic treatment with valproic acid in adolescence and the polycystic ovary syndrome and to conclude with proposals on the assessment of adolescents with epilepsy who need valproic acid as their treatment.