Toxic dose
The severity of sodium valproate poisoning depends on the ingested dose:
- less than 200 mg/kg—usually only minor effects
- between 200 mg/kg to 1 g/kg—dose-dependent central nervous system (CNS) depression and multiorgan toxicity
- more than 1 g/kg—potentially life-threatening effects.
Drug-naive children who have ingested more than 200 mg/kg of sodium valproate require medical assessment and observation (see Potential toxic doses of some antiepileptic drugs in drug-naive children for potential toxic doses of some antiepileptic drugs in drug-naive children).