Contents

Disclaimer

Oxford University Press makes no representation, express or implied, that the drug dosages in this book are correct. Readers must therefore always check the product information and clinical procedures with the most up to date published product information and data sheets provided by the manufacturers and the most recent codes of conduct and safety regulations. The authors and the publishers do not accept responsibility or legal liability for any errors in the text or for the misuse or misapplication of material in this work. Except where otherwise stated, drug dosages and recommendations are for the non-pregnant adult who is not breastfeeding.

Show Summary Details
Page of

Bipolar disorder 

Bipolar disorder
Chapter:
Bipolar disorder
Author(s):

Kate E.A. Saunders

, and John Geddes

DOI:
10.1093/med/9780198746690.003.0633
Page of

PRINTED FROM OXFORD MEDICINE ONLINE (www.oxfordmedicine.com). © Oxford University Press, 2021. All Rights Reserved. Under the terms of the licence agreement, an individual user may print out a PDF of a single chapter of a title in Oxford Medicine Online for personal use (for details see Privacy Policy and Legal Notice).

date: 07 March 2021

Bipolar disorder is a highly heritable, lifelong, relapsing, and remitting chronic mental illness. While traditionally characterized as a disorder with distinct periods of elated and depressed mood, it is now clear that interepisode mood instability is common. Comorbid psychiatric and medical conditions are common. When occurring in medical settings mania can be both disruptive and hazardous, and may require active psychiatric management. Pharmacological approaches are the mainstay of treatment, although adjunctive psychotherapies are helpful in preventing relapse. Compulsory detention in hospital using mental health law may sometimes be required for both manic and depressive states.

Access to the complete content on Oxford Medicine Online requires a subscription or purchase. Public users are able to search the site and view the abstracts for each book and chapter without a subscription.

Please subscribe or login to access full text content.

If you have purchased a print title that contains an access token, please see the token for information about how to register your code.

For questions on access or troubleshooting, please check our FAQs, and if you can't find the answer there, please contact us.