title: [Puzzling bipolar disorder].
abstract: Despite many advances in making the diagnosis of bipolar disorder, five to twelve years lie between the first affective episode and the introduction of an effective treatment. However, it is estimated that approximately only one-fourth of the patients with bipolar disorder are recognized as such at all. Clinical experience plays an important role in the diagnosis. Manias are often the cause for the first treatment with drugs, but the daily lives of patients with bipolar depression are often clearly more negatively affected. The acute therapy of bipolar depression is more complicated than that of mania and the difficult long-term treatment is always associated with a high suicide risk. A long-term therapy of bipolar disorders is not only meaningful for the prevention of new disease episodes, but also because it has a positive effect on comorbidities.
authors.affiliation: Klinik und Poliklinik für Psychiatrie, LMU München. Anna.Forsthoff@med.uni-muenchen.de
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Forsthoff
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Born
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Grunze
mesh_terms: D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018692:Antimanic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D016651:Lithium Carbonate / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011613:Psychotherapy; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000092864:Suicide Prevention
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D018692:Antimanic Agents; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D016651:Lithium Carbonate