Polypharmacy in Psychiatry Practice, Volume II pp 275-287 | Cite as
The Role of Polypharmacy in Bipolar Disorder Treatment Guidelines
Abstract
Polypharmacy is rather the rule than the exception in the real world treatment of bipolar disorder. Guidelines do support combination treatments, but with a solitary focus of efficacy. This leads to an apparent discrepancy between the recommendations of combination treatment in guidelines and the treatment plan in clinical patient samples where factors influencing choices are more complex and not resembled by randomised controlled studies (RCTs). This article highlights the treatment recommendations of three major, up- to date guidelines and the positioning of combination treatments in acute mania, bipolar depression and maintenance treatment.
Keywords
Bipolar Disorder Combination Treatment Bipolar Patient Bipolar Depression Acute ManiaAbbreviations
- AAP
Atypical antipsychotic
- AD
Antidepressant
- AM
Antimanic agent
- AMSP
Arzneimittelsicherheit in der Psychiatrie (Surveillance study of drug safety in Psychiatry)
- BAP
British Association of Psychopharmacology
- BD
Bipolar Disorder
- CANMAT
Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments
- ISBD
International Society for Bipolar Disorders
- Li
Lithium
- RCT
Randomised Controlled Studies
- STEP-BD
Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program for Bipolar Disorder
- TEAE
Treatment emergent affective episodes
- VPA
Valproate
- WFSBP
World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry
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