[Pharmacotherapeutic trends at the beginning of the millennium in Hungary. Pharmacotherapy for bipolar patients, I].
The therapy of bipolar disorders is a challenge for clinicians not only in the acute, but also in the maintenance phase. The choice is hazardous in spite of the many drugs available for this purpose. There are the classical mood stabilizers, antipsychotics, antidepressants, anxiolytics, hypnotics and other medicines that are usable in the treatment, but the resolution of the clinician can significantly influence the actual and prospective condition of the patient. We have evidence based experimental, anecdotal knowledge about the therapy of bipolar disorders, but we do not know the facts of the practice. The aim of the study was to evaluate the current therapeutic trends in Hungary.


METHODS
A questionnaire was compiled and sent to psychiatrists working in different regions of Hungary. The questions referred to the institute, the patient (demographic data, actual condition, disorder) and the actual treatment. The study was blind to the investigator: nor the psychiatrists neither the patients were identified. The study covered patients visiting psychiatrists from 25 November to 6 December 2002.


RESULTS
204 questionnaires were evaluated. 82 male and 122 female patients were included, of the average age of 48 years. The distribution of the disorders was as follows: bipolar I: n = 120; bipolar II: n = 66; cyclothym: n = 18; and the actual condition was diagnosed, too. More than half of patients showed a balanced state. 28% of patients took only one, 35% two and 23% three kinds of psychotropic drugs, and 14% four or more simultaneously. 92% of patients was on "classical mood stabilizers" (lithium, carbamazepine, valproate) and the use of the carbamazepine was the most frequent. 54% took some kind of antipsychotic drugs and three quarter among them some atypical form. The use of anxiolytics was excessive: 44% of patients used one of them. 35% was on antidepressants and more than half of them on SSRI.


CONCLUSIONS
The study findings show the current state of the treatment of bipolar disorders in Hungary, and are comparable with the relevant international trends and professional expectation. The results are useful in practice and in the education of physicians.
Kovács
Gábor
G
MH Központi Honvédkórház Pszichiátriai osztály. kovacs-gabor@axelero.hu
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006814:Hungary; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010820:Physicians / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011600:Psychopharmacology / Q000639:trends; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014149:Tranquilizing Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs; D014149:Tranquilizing Agents