A client has a valproic acid level of 15 mg/mL. Which symptoms might this suggest?

A valproic acid level of 15 mg/mL suggests that the concentration is below the therapeutic range typically considered effective for mood stabilization, particularly in the treatment of bipolar disorder. The usual therapeutic level for valproate in the context of mood disorders generally falls between 50 to 100 µg/mL (or 50 to 100 mg/mL, depending on the specific measurement context). Therefore, a level of 15 mg/mL indicates that the medication may not be adequately managing symptoms.

Irritability is a common symptom experienced by individuals with mood disorders, and it can become pronounced when medications like valproic acid are not at therapeutic levels. As the mood stabilizing effects are compromised, the individual may exhibit increased mood swings or irritability, indicating that the current valproate dose might require adjustment or that additional interventions may be necessary to achieve mood stabilization.

The other options, while they can be symptoms associated with mood disorders, are not as directly related to a low level of valproic acid. Anhedonia pertains more to a lack of pleasure, hypersomnia is related to excessive sleeping, and grandiosity can be associated with manic episodes; none of these are as directly connected to the implications of a subtherapeut