Yicheng Wong is a 53-year-old widowed Asian male who comes to see you in your of

Yicheng Wong is a 53-year-old widowed Asian male who comes to see you in your office after he was hospitalized for 14 days for a manic episode. Yicheng has bipolar I disorder. He is currently prescribed 1,500 mg of divalproex sodium (Depakote ER). He is 5’ 11” and 210 lbs. His most recent VPA level was 45 µg/ml.
From your perspective as Yicheng’s psychiatric nurse practitioner, answer your assigned questions
Medication Uses, Indications, Mechanism of Action, and Formulations
1. What psychiatric disorders and/or symptoms is Depakote FDA indicated to treat?
2. What phase of bipolar (such as manic, mixed, depressed) is Depakote most effective in managing?
3. How does Depakote work, what is the mechanism of action?
4. What formulations does Depakote come in, and what differences (if any) are there with dosing based on the formulation (such as frequency, starting dose, and so on)?