DRUG-TREATMENT OF BIPOLAR DISORDER

Bipolar disorder is a psychiatric illness characterized by the episodi c fluctuation of mood between mania or hypomania and. depression. It a fflicts nearly 1% of the US population and is associated with signific ant disruption of interpersonal relationships, loss of occupational st atus, and suicide. Psychopharmacologic agents have significantly decre ased the morbidity and mortality associated with the disorder. In this article, the agents most commonly used for mood stabilization are dis cussed, addressing efficacy, side effect profiles, drug interactions, dosing, and administration. Adjunctive agents used for stabilization d uring the acute phases of the illness are reviewed, and new and novel agents that have shown promise in open clinical trials or case studies are identified.