A new generation of antipsychotic drugs could brighten up the lives of many bipolar disorder patients. Bipolar disorder is a debilitating mood disorder in which the patient swings between periods of depression and hyperactive mania. It affects 1.2 percent of the US population, and according to the World Health Organization, is the sixth-leading cause of disabilities worldwide. It has been characteristically difficult to treat because of its dual nature. The usual antidepressant drugs do not work too well, in addition to having many side effects. Lithium has been used for treating bipolar depression, and in recent times, divalproex sodium, but there are many patients who have not benefited from either, or experience problematic side effects. But now a new class of antipsychotic drugs, normally used in the treatment of schizophrenia have been found to yield positive results.
Medications such as olanzapine, which has a formal indication for bipolar disease from the US Food and Drug Administration, clozapine, quetiapine, and risperidone have become important tools for the clinician in helping to stabilize acutely ill bipolar patients and preventing them from becoming ill again. These medications do not just curb mania but may also work as mood stabilizers, a characteristic that is crucial for bipolar disorder symptoms. This new class of drugs, combined with psychotherapy offer new hope for those whose emotional, social and occupational lives have been disrupted by the ravages of bipolar disorder.
Via:Toddlertime,Medscape
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