Pharmacotherapy of bipolar disorder: the role of atypical antipsychotics and experimental strategies.
Bipolar disorder, despite being a common and debilitating illness, has remarkably few pharmacological therapeutic options, the majority of which, with the exception of lithium, have been borrowed from other medical indications. Furthermore the quantity and quality of controlled clinical data are considerably smaller than in conditions of comparable severity and frequency. Not surprisingly, the clinical outcome of bipolar disorder is frequently suboptimal. Fortunately there are a growing number of novel therapeutic options for its treatment such as atypical antipsychotics, calcium channel blockers and omega-3 fatty acids. This paper summarizes some of the data regarding these "experimental" therapeutic options, focusing principally on atypical antipsychotics as these are now widely prescribed in the management of bipolar disorder.
Malhi
Gin S
GS
The University of New South Wales Mood Disorders Unit, The Black Dog Institute, The Villa, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, Sydney, NSW 2031, Australia.
Berk
Michael
M
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003024:Clozapine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003987:Dibenzothiazepines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D000077152:Olanzapine; D010890:Pirenzepine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000069348:Quetiapine Fumarate; D018967:Risperidone / Q000627:therapeutic use
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D003987:Dibenzothiazepines; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D000069348:Quetiapine Fumarate; D010890:Pirenzepine; D003024:Clozapine; D018967:Risperidone; D000077152:Olanzapine