title: The management of bipolar disorder in primary care: a review of existing and emerging therapies.
abstract: Recent evidence suggests that the prevalence of bipolar disorder is as much as fivefold higher than previously believed, and may amount to nearly 5% of the population, making it almost as common as unipolar major depression. It is, therefore, not unrealistic to assume that primary care or family physicians will frequently encounter bipolar patients in their practice. Such patients may present with a depressive episode, for a variety of medical reasons, for longer-term maintenance after stabilization, and even with an acute manic episode. Whatever the reason, a working knowledge of current trends in the acute and longer-term management of bipolar disorder would be helpful to the primary care physician. In addition, an understanding of important side-effects and drug interactions that occur with drugs used to treat bipolar disorder, which may be encountered in the medical setting, are paramount. This paper will attempt to review existing and emerging therapies in bipolar disorder, as well as their common drug interactions and side-effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences, Barwon Health, University of Melbourne, Geelong, Victoria, Australia. mikebe@barwonhealth.org.au
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Berk
authors.forename: Seetal
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dodd
authors.forename: Lesley
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Berk
mesh_terms: D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018692:Antimanic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008094:Lithium / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011320:Primary Health Care; D011613:Psychotherapy
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D018692:Antimanic Agents; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D008094:Lithium