title: Prescription pattern of mood stabilizers for bipolar disorder at a tertiary health care centre in north India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mood stabilizers are drugs used to steady/balance the mood, and are also used to manage symptoms of aggression and impulsivity. There is disparity in prescription pattern across the globe.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to observe prescription pattern of mood stabilizers for the treatment of bipolar disorder with or without psychotic symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  A sample of 100 adult patients was selected to participate in the study. First 5 patients of bipolar disorder with or without psychotic symptoms from twenty out-patient departments of various consultant psychiatrists of Department of Psychiatry (C.S.M. Medical University, Lucknow) were included in the sample. A written informed consent was obtained and survey method was adopted to conduct the study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lithium was found to be the most frequently prescribed mood stabilizer, sodium valproate ranked second while carbamazepine was least frequently prescribed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj Medical University, Gandhi Memorial and Associated Hospital, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Trivedi
authors.forename: Himanshu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sareen
authors.forename: Virendra Singh
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Yadav
authors.forename: Shyam Bihari
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Rai
keywords: Bipolar disorder; mood stabilizers; prescription pattern