What are the consensus treatment guidelines for bipolar disorder?
The consensus guidelines for bipolar disease are prepared by a panel of psychiatrists who are experts in their field. These experts completed a survey concerning psychopharmacologic interventions used in specific clinical situations. The guidelines, reflecting the aggregate opinions of panel members, lay out a recommended treatment approach.
The 2000 consensus guidelines for the pharmacologic treatment of bipolar disorder make the following key points:
- Mood stabilizers are the treatment of choice for patients with bipolar disorder.
- If monotherapy fails, combination therapy should be used.
- Bipolar disorder is a chronic illness.
- Adjunctive use of atypical antipsychotics is recommended for mania or depression with psychosis — this may change with emerging data and clinical experience.
- Antidepressants may be used in conjunction with a mood stabilizer to treat concomitant depressive disorders.
It is important to note that recent studies suggest that atypical antipsychotics, in addition to their benefits in reducing psychotic symptoms, may play a role as mood stabilizers.
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