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Valproate Side Effects

The most commonly reported side effects of valproate include off label use, seizure, and drug interaction, based on 26,105 FDA adverse event reports from 2004 to 2025. 9.4% of reports found the drug to be ineffective.

Valproate side effects

Percentages show how often each reaction appears relative to total reports for valproate.

1
Drug Ineffective9.4%2,454
2
Off Label Use6.6%1,727
3
Seizure5.2%1,364
4
Drug Interaction4.9%1,275
5
Foetal Exposure During Pregnancy4.7%1,223
6
Somnolence3.7%978
7
Epilepsy3.3%857
8
Toxicity To Various Agents2.8%737
9
Condition Aggravated2.4%637
10
Product Use In Unapproved Indication2.4%625
11
Convulsion2.2%573
12
Pyrexia2.1%561
13
Fatigue2.0%535
14
Overdose1.9%506
15
Weight Increased1.9%503

These are voluntary reports and do not establish that valproate caused these reactions.

Report severity

94.8%Serious24,740 reports
42.1%Hospitalizations10,999 reports
8.7%Fatal2,263 reports

Seriousness is determined by the reporter, not by OpenClaim.

Valproate drug interactions

Other drugs that appear in adverse event reports alongside valproate. Drugs flagged as a suspected cause appear in the first column. Drugs taken at the same time but not suspected appear in the second.

Also suspected

1
Levetiracetam13.7%3,578
2
Lamotrigine10.4%2,712
3
Clozapine10.1%2,628
4
Quetiapine-fumarate7.6%1,987
5
Olanzapine7.1%1,845
6
Topiramate6.3%1,645
7
Risperidone5.4%1,420
8
Carbamazepine5.3%1,392
9
Lacosamide5.2%1,356
10
Clobazam4.5%1,183
11
Phenytoin4.2%1,101
12
Aripiprazole4.2%1,091
13
Clonazepam3.7%960
14
Lithium3.3%853
15
Lorazepam2.8%733

Taken alongside

1
Levetiracetam4.5%1,172
2
Clonazepam4.2%1,098
3
Lamotrigine3.9%1,024
4
Clobazam3.6%934
5
Acetaminophen3.3%868
6
Lorazepam3.3%854
7
Quetiapine-fumarate3.3%850
8
Diazepam3.2%842
9
Levothyroxine-sodium3.0%782
10
Topiramate2.8%737
11
Lithium2.7%701
12
Omeprazole2.6%688
13
Olanzapine2.6%685
14
Risperidone2.6%682
15
Carbamazepine2.5%659

Co-occurrence in adverse event reports does not establish a drug interaction. Patients often take multiple medications, and these lists reflect prescribing patterns rather than causal relationships. Consult a healthcare provider about potential drug interactions.

Who reports valproate side effects

42.5% of valproate adverse event reports involve female patients and 45.7% involve male patients. The largest age group is adult at 63%. These figures reflect who reports side effects, not underlying risk.

Sex

Female42.5%
Male45.7%
Unknown11.8%

Age group

< 24.7%
2–1110.1%
12–176.4%
18–6463.1%
65+15.7%

What is valproate used for

Conditions and purposes for which patients were taking valproate when the adverse event was reported.

Abdominal PainAbnormal BehaviourAccidentAccidental ExposureAccidental OverdoseAcquired Epileptic AphasiaAcute Myeloid LeukaemiaAcute PsychosisAffect LabilityAffective DisorderAggressionAgitated DepressionAgitationAlcohol Withdrawal SyndromeAlcoholic Seizure

Showing 15 of 763 indications

Valproate brand names and reporting trend

Valproate is sold under the brand name Valproate Sodium.

Brand names

Valproate Sodium32,232

Quarterly reports (20042025)

20052010201520202025

An upward trend reflects increased FAERS reporting overall, not necessarily increased risk.

Taking valproate with another medication?

Ask OpenClaim about your specific drug combination. Get a sourced report using FDA data, drug labels, and medical literature.