PHARMACOLOGICAL STRATEGIES FOR PREVENTING SUICIDAL-BEHAVIOR

The assessment and management of suicidal patients are important issue s that may be faced by any physician. A series of risk factors for sui cide has been identified, which includes psychiatric diagnosis, psycho social and environmental factors, personality disorders and traits, ge netic and family variables, and biochemical factors. Knowledge of thes e risk factors can assist clinicians in determining those patients who are most likely to attempt to harm themselves. This in turn enables p harmacological intervention to prevent suicide attempts. Psychopharmac ological agents such as antidepressants, antipsychotics (in patients w ith personality disorders) and lithium (in patients with bipolar disor ders) have been shown to be effective in preventing suicidal behaviour . The efficacy of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is more controversia l. Other equally important aspects of the optimal clinical management of suicidal patients are the quality of the doctor-patient relationshi p and the issues involved in deciding whether hospital admission of th e patient is necessary.