Valproic acid intoxication – The importance of toxicological analysis and correct management: A case report
Introduction: Valproic acid (VPA) is an anticonvulsant widely used in treating epilepsy which can occur cases of poisoning in overdose situations. Case description: A 15-year-old girl purposely ingested about 100 drug tablets according to family members. Gastric lavage with activated charcoal was pe...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Toxicology Reports |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214750025000022 |
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| Summary: | Introduction: Valproic acid (VPA) is an anticonvulsant widely used in treating epilepsy which can occur cases of poisoning in overdose situations. Case description: A 15-year-old girl purposely ingested about 100 drug tablets according to family members. Gastric lavage with activated charcoal was performed at home using a nasogastric tube and patient just was taken to the hospital around 10 h after drug ingestion, arriving in shock state. All laboratorial parameters were altered together a suspect of aspiration pneumonia with the presence of gross perihilar infiltrated in the right lung. Immunoassay screening test did not detect any substance; LC-UV detected quetiapine (> 150 ng/mL) while GC-MS determined 977.96 µg/mL of valproic acid in the patient’s plasma, confirming valproic acid intoxication. Appropriate life support was performed in the patient during hospitalization; however, she died two days later, reaching her suicide. Conclusions: Prognosis could be favorable if the patient was taken immediately to hospital emergency, considering the complexity of managing poisoning. Patient´s anamnesis must be carefully analyzed by the healthcare professional to avoid false conclusions and toxicological analysis is extremely important to clarify suspected poisoning. |
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| ISSN: | 2214-7500 |