SEIZURE SAFETY IN THE CLASSROOM


Team up with VALTOCO® (diazepam nasal spray)
to change the experience with immediate-use seizure medication at school

Indication

VALTOCO® (diazepam nasal spray) is indicated for the acute treatment of intermittent, stereotypic episodes of frequent seizure activity (ie, seizure clusters, acute repetitive seizures) that are distinct from a patient’s usual seizure pattern in patients with epilepsy 6 years of age and older.

Tue, May 13 • 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM ET

Presented by:

Patricia Dean, MSN, PPCNP-BC, CNRN

Wed, May 21 • 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM ET

Presented by:

Patricia Dean, MSN, PPCNP-BC, CNRN

Tue, May 27 • 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM ET

Presented by:

Beck Reyes, MSN, CPNP, CNRN

Tue, June 3 • 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM ET

Presented by:

Beck Reyes, MSN, CPNP, CNRN

Presenters

Patricia Dean, MSN, PPCNP-BC, CNRN
Patricia Dean, MSN, PPCNP-BC, CNRN


Epilepsy Network Liaison
Nicklaus Children’s Hospital
Miami, FL



Ms Dean received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Downstate Medical Center and her Master of Science Nursing from the University of Miami. She has been involved in every aspect of nursing care of the pediatric epilepsy patient and is presently the Epilepsy Network Liaison at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Miami, Florida. Ms Dean has helped many families through their hospitalizations, seizures, surgeries and various other trials. She is certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center as a Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner and by the American Board of Neuroscience Nursing as a Certified Neuroscience Registered Nurse.

Ms Dean has also been involved with the consumer side of epilepsy on local, state, and national levels. She is currently the immediate past chair of The Epilepsy Alliance of Florida. Ms Dean started a camp for children with epilepsy in Florida many years ago and continues to be involved with the camp, which is now held at Camp Boggy Creek, a Serious Fun Camp. She has received numerous awards for her work, including the J Kiffin Penry Award from the American Epilepsy Society (AES). Ms Dean is a member of the AES, Child Neurology Nurses Association, and American Association of Neuroscience Nurses. She has many publications on various epilepsy topics and has lectured on epilepsy around the world.

Beck Reyes, MSN, CPNP, CNRN​
Beck Reyes, MSN, CPNP, CNRN


Faculty Lecturer
UCLA School of Nursing
Nurse Practitioner, Division of Pediatric Neurology
UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital
Los Angeles, CA


Beck Reyes is a pediatric nurse practitioner at UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital where she manages patients with complex forms of epilepsy. She has a broad background in pediatric neurology advanced practice nursing and is board certified in neuroscience nursing. Her area of research interest is the self-management, self-efficacy, and health-related quality of life in adolescents and young adults with epilepsy.

She is currently the site PI on a CDC-funded grant for the Program of Active Consumer Engagement in Self-management in epilepsy (PACES) for adolescents. This self-management skills program is validated in adults with epilepsy and is now being studied in adolescents.

Her relationships with local as well as national advocacy groups allows her to build relationships with interdisciplinary professionals to support patients with epilepsy. 

SEIZURE SAFETY IN THE CLASSROOM

Team up with VALTOCO® (diazepam nasal spray) to change the experience with immediate-use seizure medication at school
Indication

VALTOCO® (diazepam nasal spray) is indicated for the acute treatment of intermittent, stereotypic episodes of frequent seizure activity (ie, seizure clusters, acute repetitive seizures) that are distinct from a patient’s usual seizure pattern in patients with epilepsy 6 years of age and older.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

WARNING: RISKS FROM CONCOMITANT USE WITH OPIOIDS; ABUSE, MISUSE, AND ADDICTION; and DEPENDENCE AND WITHDRAWAL REACTIONS

  • Concomitant use of benzodiazepines and opioids may result in profound sedation, respiratory depression, coma, and death. Reserve concomitant prescribing of these drugs for patients for whom alternative treatment options are inadequate. Limit dosages and durations to the minimum required. Follow patients for signs and symptoms of respiratory depression and sedation.
  • The use of benzodiazepines, including VALTOCO, exposes users to risks of abuse, misuse, and addiction, which can lead to overdose or death. Abuse and misuse of benzodiazepines commonly involve concomitant use of other medications, alcohol, and/or illicit substances, which is associated with an increased frequency of serious adverse outcomes. Before prescribing VALTOCO and throughout treatment, assess each patient’s risk for abuse, misuse, and addiction.
  • The continued use of benzodiazepines may lead to clinically significant physical dependence. The risks of dependence and withdrawal increase with longer treatment duration and higher daily dose. Although VALTOCO is indicated only for intermittent use, if used more frequently than recommended, abrupt discontinuation or rapid dosage reduction of VALTOCO may precipitate acute withdrawal reactions, which can be life-threatening. For patients using VALTOCO more frequently than recommended, to reduce the risk of withdrawal reactions, use a gradual taper to discontinue VALTOCO.

Contraindications: VALTOCO is contraindicated in patients with:

  • Hypersensitivity to diazepam
  • Acute narrow-angle glaucoma

Central Nervous System (CNS) Depression

Benzodiazepines, including VALTOCO, may produce CNS depression. Caution patients against engaging in hazardous activities requiring mental alertness, such as operating machinery, driving a motor vehicle, or riding a bicycle, until the effects of the drug, such as drowsiness, have subsided, and as their medical condition permits.

The potential for a synergistic CNS-depressant effect when VALTOCO is used with alcohol or other CNS depressants must be considered, and appropriate recommendations made to the patient and/or care partner.

Suicidal Behavior and Ideation

Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), including VALTOCO, increase the risk of suicidal ideation and behavior. Patients treated with any AED for any indication should be monitored for the emergence or worsening of depression, suicidal thoughts or behavior, and/or unusual changes in mood or behavior.

Glaucoma

Benzodiazepines, including VALTOCO, can increase intraocular pressure in patients with glaucoma. VALTOCO may be used in patients with open-angle glaucoma only if they are receiving appropriate therapy. VALTOCO is contraindicated in patients with narrow-angle glaucoma.

Neonatal Sedation and Withdrawal Syndrome

Use of VALTOCO late in pregnancy can result in sedation (respiratory depression, lethargy, hypotonia) and/or withdrawal symptoms (hyperreflexia, irritability, restlessness, tremors, inconsolable crying, and feeding difficulties) in the neonate. Monitor neonates exposed to VALTOCO during pregnancy or labor for signs of sedation and monitor neonates exposed to VALTOCO during pregnancy for signs of withdrawal; manage these neonates accordingly.

Risk of Serious Adverse Reactions in Infants due to Benzyl Alcohol Preservative

VALTOCO is not approved for use in neonates or infants. Serious and fatal adverse reactions, including “gasping syndrome,” can occur in neonates and low-birth-weight infants treated with benzyl alcohol–preserved drugs, including VALTOCO. The “gasping syndrome” is characterized by central nervous system depression, metabolic acidosis, and gasping respirations. The minimum amount of benzyl alcohol at which serious adverse reactions may occur is not known.

Adverse Reactions

The most common adverse reactions (at least 4%) were somnolence, headache, and nasal discomfort.

Diazepam, the active ingredient in VALTOCO, is a Schedule IV controlled substance.

To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Neurelis, Inc. at 1-866-696-3873 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 (www.fda.gov/medwatch).

Please read full Prescribing Information, including Boxed Warning, for additional important safety information.

© Neurelis, Inc. 2025. All rights reserved.
NEURELIS, VALTOCO, and the NEURELIS and VALTOCO logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of Neurelis, Inc.
 US-PRC-21-00293 v5 02/2025