| Ordering Code | 707 |
|---|---|
| Test Name | Valproic Acid |
| Alias | Depacon Depakene Depakote Stazor Valproate Dipropylacetic acid Divalproex Sodium VPA |
| Preferred Specimen | Plasma |
| Preferred Container | Lithium Heparin PST (Green) |
| Other Specimen/Container | Plasma in EDTA, K2 (Lavender), Serum in Plain (Red), Serum in SST (Gold) |
| Optimum Volume | 1 mL |
| Collection Instructions | To obtain a valproic acid concentration that best represents the peak tissue level, draw the sample 1 to 3 hours after an oral dose is given. Collect a trough sample just before the next scheduled dose. |
| Handling Instructions | All specimen types must be centrifuged within 2 hours of collection. If no gel separation present in tube and testing is delayed, plasma/serum is aliquoted from cells within 2 hours of collection. |
| Transport Requirements | Oahu: Refrigerated (Aliquot) Airline: Refrigerated (Aliquot) Send Frozen if transport >7 Days |
| Specimen Stability | Refrigerated: 24 Hours (Centrifuged, unaliquoted gel separator tubes), 7 Days (Aliquot) Frozen: 1 Year (Aliquot) Frozen samples should be thawed only once. |
| Rejection Criteria | Grossly hemolyzed, Insufficient quantity, Specimen older than stability limits, Uncentrifuged gel separator tube specimens >2 hours old, Unaliquoted gel separator tube specimens >24 hours old |
| Avail. Stat | YES |
| Analytic Time | 1 Day |
| Methodology | Homogeneous Enzyme Immunoassay (EMIT) |
Reference range(s)
The reference ranges listed below are valid on this date of March 19, 2026.
| Component | Age | Male Norm | Male Critical Low | Male Critical High | Female Norm | Female Critical High | Female Critical Low | Units | Add'l info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valproic Acid | ALL | 50-100 | >= 150 | 50-100 | >= 150 | ug/mL |