Effect of prophylactic treatment on suicide risk in patients with major affective disorders. Data from a randomized prospective trial.
Recent findings have indicated that lithium treatment markedly reduces suicide risk in major affective disorders. To compare the effect of lithium with carbamazepine and amitriptyline, suicidal behavior was analyzed during the randomized prospective long-term MAP study (N = 378; duration 2.5 years). Of the nine suicides and five attempted suicides, none took place during lithium treatment. The findings support the view that lithium has a specific antisuicidal effect over and above its prophylactic benefit.
Thies-Flechtner
K
K
Department of Psychiatry, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany.
Müller-Oerlinghausen
B
B
Seibert
W
W
Walther
A
A
Greil
W
W
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000341:Affective Disorders, Psychotic / Q000523:psychology*; D000368:Aged; D000639:Amitriptyline / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018692:Antimanic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002220:Carbamazepine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002491:Central Nervous System Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008094:Lithium / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012306:Risk; D000092864:Suicide Prevention
D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic; D018692:Antimanic Agents; D002491:Central Nervous System Agents; D000639:Amitriptyline; D002220:Carbamazepine; D008094:Lithium