
What is the first-line treatment for bipolar disorder?
First-line treatments for bipolar depressive episodes include lithium or lamotrigine monotherapy. For more severe cases, can add second mood stabilizer (e.g., lamotrigine combined with lithium or divalproex). Atypical antipsychotics can be added for patients with psychotic features (e.g., delusions, hallucinations ).
Which medications are used in the treatment of bipolar disorder?
Lithium and divalproex are first-line mood stabilizers; other options include carbamazepine, oxcarbazepine, and atypical antipsychotics (e.g., aripiprazole, olanzapine, risperidone, quetiapine, and ziprasidone). The above medications can be used as monotherapy for patients with less severe illness.
What are the goals of treatment for bipolar disorder?
Treatment of bipolar disorder conventionally focuses on acute stabilisation, in which the goal is to bring a patient with mania or depression to a symptomatic recovery with euthymic (stable) mood; and on maintenance, in which the goals are relapse prevention, reduction of subthreshold symptoms, and enhanced social and occupational functioning.
Should antidepressants be stopped during the maintenance phase of bipolar depression?
Similarly, stoppage of antidepressants needs to be considered once bipolar depression remits. Combination therapy during the maintenance phase is to be considered only for those who have not responded to the optimal dose of monotherapy during the maintenance phase of illness. SPECIAL SITUATIONS

What is the first-line treatment for bipolar disorder?
First-line treatments for bipolar depressive episodes include lithium or lamotrigine monotherapy. For more severe cases, can add second mood stabilizer (e.g., lamotrigine combined with lithium or divalproex).
What is the most effective treatment for bipolar disorder?
The most effective treatment for bipolar disorder is a combination of medication and psychotherapy. Most people take more than one drug, like a mood-stabilizing drug and an antipsychotic or antidepressant.
Is lithium a first-line treat for bipolar disorder?
Although only a few RCTs have been conducted on the treatment effects of lithium in bipolar depression, several treatment guidelines recommend lithium as a first-line treatment agent for bipolar I disorder (BD-I) depression [58].
What is the first-line or gold standard treatment for bipolar disorder?
Lithium is considered the gold standard treatment for bipolar disorder (BD). Current clinical guidelines and scientific evidence support its use as a first-line treatment in BD.
What is the latest treatment for bipolar disorder?
Caplyta is now FDA-approved for depressive episodes from bipolar I and II. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Caplyta (lumateperone) for the treatment of bipolar depression in adults.
What is a common therapy for bipolar disorder?
Typically, treatment entails a combination of at least one mood-stabilizing drug and/or atypical antipsychotic, plus psychotherapy. The most widely used drugs for the treatment of bipolar disorder include lithium carbonate and valproic acid (also known as Depakote or generically as divalproex).
Why is lithium first-line for bipolar?
These guidelines argue that lithium should be considered in the acute treatment of bipolar depression due to its central role as a mood stabilizer, its effectiveness in preventing mania and the proposed anti-suicide effect.
Why is lithium first-line treatment?
Despite the availability of newer mood stabilizers, lithium continues to be a first-line treatment for bipolar disorder. It is often underutilized because of the potential for side effects, and perhaps because it is an older drug.
What is the best medication for bipolar 2 disorder?
There are few studies that focus on treatment of bipolar II alone. The literature shows lithium to be the mainstay of therapy to stabilize mood, along with anticonvulsants (e.g., valproate, lamotrigine, or carba-mazepine) as adjunct therapy. More research and clinical trials are warranted.
What medication is best for bipolar depression?
Lithium and quetiapine top the lists for all three phases of the illness: mania, depression, and the maintenance phase. Lurasidone and lamotrigine are either untested (lurasidone) or ineffective (lamotrigine) in mania, but they are essential tools for bipolar depression.
Is lithium the gold standard?
Lithium treatment remains the “gold standard” of treatment for preventing recurrences in bipolar disorder, both types I (with mania and major depression) and II (with depression and hypomania). It also has evidence of effectiveness for preventing suicidal behavior in patients with bipolar or major depressive disorder.