title: Review of valproate monotherapy in the treatment of generalized tonic-clonic seizures.
abstract: Well-controlled prospective studies have shown the benefits of converting treatment for patients with epilepsy from polytherapy to monotherapy. Results of trials with valproate have demonstrated its efficacy as monotherapy in patients with generalized tonic-clonic seizures. Several studies have found no significant differences between valproate and phenytoin and carbamazepine in the treatment of partial seizures. In studies in which patients were diagnosed as having one of the primary generalized epilepsies, the response rate of tonic-clonic seizures to valproate establishes valproate as the drug of choice in the epilepsy syndromes with primary generalized tonic-clonic seizures.
authors.affiliation: Veterans Administration Medical Center, Neurology Service, Gainesville, Florida 32602.
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Wilder
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Rangel
mesh_terms: D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000145:classification / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D014635:Valproic Acid