Assessment and treatment of bipolar disorder in the elderly. Review uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • The aetiology of late-onset bipolar disorder is heterogeneous because the disease is more likely to have a secondary (i.e. a medical disorder or medication-induced) cause in older than in younger patients. Elderly patients with bipolar disorder typically require lithium dosages that are 25 to 50% lower than those used in younger individuals. Information on the use of valproic acid (sodium valproate) in elderly patients with bipolar disorder is limited but encouraging. In contrast, there is virtually no information regarding the use of carbamazepine or other drugs in this patient group. Electroconvulsive therapy is well tolerated by older people and can be useful for these patients.

publication date

  • March 1, 1998

Research

keywords

  • Antimanic Agents
  • Bipolar Disorder

Identity

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 0031886691

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.2165/00002512-199812030-00004

PubMed ID

  • 9534021

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 12

issue

  • 3