After medicine is swallowed, it must be absorbed into the blood so it can move throughout the body. The process of absorbing, digesting, and excreting a medicine or food is called metabolism. The way the body metabolizes a particular medicine affects how often it must be taken. It also determines whether it will interact with other medicines or be affected by conditions such as liver disease.

Depakene is quickly absorbed by the body. The medicine takes longer to reach the blood (and the brain) if it's taken with food, but in the end the amount absorbed is about the same. The delay that occurs when Depakene is taken with food is not important during long-term treatment, but it could have some effect when treatment is first begun. That's why it's best to be consistent.

Like many other medicines, Depakene is broken down (digested) in the liver. People with liver disease should not take it. Anyone who also takes other medicines that are digested in the liver needs to be careful. How well each medicine works and how quickly it leaves the body may be changed.

This is why the doctor needs to know about everything that a person takes—not just prescription medicines but even things like vitamins, herbs, and aspirin! These things can affect how much Depakene the doctor prescribes.