What Does Depakote Treat?

Depakote^® (divalproex sodium) is an antipsychotic medication that is available by prescription only. Many people may wonder, "What does Depakote treat?" This medicine is approved for several different conditions, including epilepsy, migraine headaches, and mania associated with bipolar disorder.

Mania

Depakote is approved to treat episodes of mania in people with bipolar disorder. It is not approved for long-term use once the manic episode has resolved, though it is often used "off-label" in this manner.

Epileptic Seizures

Depakote is approved to control complex partial seizures. It can also be used to treat both complex and simple absence seizures. It may be used either alone or with other seizure medications.

Migraines

Due to the way it works, Depakote will not help for migraine treatment. Instead, the drug is taken on a daily basis for migraine prevention, to reduce the frequency or severity of migraine headaches.

(Click Depakote Uses for more information on what Depakote is used to treat, how the medicine works, and whether it is suitable for children.)