title: Treatment of Bipolar Depression: Evolving Recommendations.
abstract: Bipolar depression is the most common and difficult-to-treat phase of bipolar disorder. Antidepressants for unipolar depression are among the most widely used drugs, but recent data and meta-analyses indicate a lack of efficacy. Many of the drugs discussed here are graded provisionally for the strength of the findings in the literature, safety and tolerability, and likely utility of use in patients with bipolar disorder. Successful long-term treatment of bipolar depression is critical to preventing illness-related morbidity, disability, cognitive decline, suicide, and premature loss of years of life expectancy largely from the excess medical mortality associated with cardiovascular disorders.
authors.affiliation: Bipolar Collaborative Network, 5415 West Cedar Lane, Suite 201-B, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA. Electronic address: robert.post@speakeasy.net.
authors.forename: Robert M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Post
mesh_terms: D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008094:Lithium / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D008094:Lithium
keywords: Anticonvulsants; Anxiety; Atypical antipsychotics; Lithium; Neurotrophic factors; Psychoeducation; Rapid cycling; Substance abuse