Events leading to discontinuation included hair loss, nausea, vomiting, weight gain and tremor. Other safety considerations include hepatic failure, which has resulted in fatalities in patients receiving valproic acid and its derivatives, usually in the first six months of treatment. Valproic acid can produce teratogenic effects in the offspring of women receiving the drug during pregnancy. Divalproex sodium is a derivative of valproic acid. The use of Depakote tablets for migraine prophylaxis in women of childbearing potential requires that the benefits of its use be weighed against the risk of injury to the fetus.
Patient information regarding the use of Depakote in migraine patients is available.
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