amitriptyline vs valproate
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Side-by-side comparison of amitriptyline and valproate. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
minor Known Drug Interaction
diazepam, ethosuximide, lamotrigine, phenytoin) by inhibiting their metabolism or protein binding displacement ( 7.2 ) • Patients stabilized on rufinamide should begin valproate therapy at a low dose, and titrate to clinically effective dose ( 7.2 ) • Dosage adjustment of amitriptyline/nortriptyline, propofol, warfarin, and zidovudine may be necessary if used concomitantly with valproate ( 7.2 ) • Topiramate: Hyperammonemia and encephalopathy ( 5.9 , 7.3 ) 7.1 Effects of Co-Administered Drugs on Valproate Clearance Drugs that affect the level of expression of hepatic enzymes, particularly...
Elavil
Depakote, Depakene
Amitriptyline is a medicine used to treat depression. It may take up to 30 days to feel the full effect.
Valproate sodium injection is used when you cannot take valproate pills. It helps control seizures.
Amitriptyline is used to relieve the symptoms of depression. It works best for a type of depression called endogenous depression. This is depression that comes from within, rather than being caused by outside events.
This medicine treats certain types of seizures. It can be used alone or with other medicines to treat complex partial seizures. It also treats simple and complex absence seizures, and multiple seizure types that include absence seizures.
Amitriptyline belongs to a class of drugs called tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs). It works by increasing the levels of certain chemicals in your brain. These chemicals help improve your mood.
Valproate affects the levels of certain chemicals in your brain. These chemicals help to control seizures. This medicine helps to reduce the frequency of seizures.
- • Drowsiness
- • Dizziness
- • Weakness
- • Fatigue
- • Headache
- • Headache
- • Dizziness
- • Nausea
- • Pain at the injection site
- Pain 1,565
- Nausea 1,434
- Headache 1,381
- Fatigue 1,371
- Dyspnoea 1,340
- Drug Interaction 1,185
- Foetal Exposure During Pregnancy 1,043
- Somnolence 950
- Epilepsy 813
- Toxicity To Various Agents 757
Antidepressants may increase the risk of suicidal thoughts or actions in children, teens, and young adults. Your doctor should closely monitor you for worsening depression or unusual changes in behavior. Amitriptyline is not approved for use in children.
Valproate can cause life-threatening liver problems, especially in the first 6 months of treatment. Children under 2 and people with mitochondrial disorders have a higher risk. Valproate can also harm an unborn baby, causing birth defects and lower IQ. It can also cause pancreatitis, which can be fatal.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. It is not known if amitriptyline will harm your unborn baby. Amitriptyline can pass into breast milk.
Valproate can cause serious birth defects if taken during pregnancy. Do not take this medicine if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant unless other medicines don't work for you. There is a pregnancy registry for women who take valproate during pregnancy; call 1-888-233-2334 to enroll.
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How to Read This amitriptyline vs valproate Comparison
amitriptyline is classified in the Tricyclic Antidepressant (TCA) drug class, while valproate sits within the Anticonvulsant / Mood Stabilizer class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, amitriptyline has 7,091 submissions while valproate has 4,748. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known minor interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to valproate can slow down how your body breaks down amitriptyline, which may cause the drug to build up in your system.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot represent individual circumstances. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This registry does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions for amitriptyline or valproate.
Registry boundary: This comparison displays source-record fields and does not provide individualized medical direction.