Long-Term Treatment Challenges in Bipolar Disorder

At the International Conference on Bipolar Disorder, Dr. Rasmus Licht of Denmark reported on a study of 155 adult patients with bipolar disorder. The patients were treated with lithium and lamotragine (lamictal). They found lamictal tended to be more effective in patients whose index episode was depression and lithium was better for patients whose index episode was mania.

Unfortunately, they found that by five years on the single medication, only two out of the original 155 patients were able to remain on one medication. The remaining patients failed treatment (had a relapse of symptoms) and this usually happened within the first 1 1/2 years.

Following bipolar patient’s progress for five years makes this study unique, and it supports the idea that the majority of patients require more than one medication to control their symptoms in the long run.