L-Carnitine treatment in a child with valproic acid intoxication

Abstract

With its growing application in neurological and psychiatric diseases, valproic acid overdose due to acute and chronic use has been causing emergency admission. Asymptomatic cases of hyperammonemia may be found in valproic acid poisoning ranging from central nervous system depression to coma. While supportive therapy is adequate, in most cases active charcoal, levocarnitine supplementation, and treatment with naloxane and hemodialysis, when needed, can also be used. In the case study reported in this paper, we aimed to focus at bringing awareness to the use of levocarnitine in asymptomatic patients with valproic acid poisoning accompanied by hyperammonemia.

Keywords

• hyperammonemia
• intoxication
• L-carinitine
• valproik acid

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