Effectiveness and safety of long-term antidepressant treatment in bipolar disorder

J Clin Psychiatry. 2001 Jul;62(7):565-9. doi: 10.4088/jcp.v62n07a12.

Abstract

Objective: We sought to review research on use of antidepressants for long-term treatment of bipolar depression.

Method: We conducted a computerized literature search of the MEDLINE, HealthStar, Current Contents, PsychInfo, and National Library of Medicine databases to identify studies involving antidepressant, anticonvulsant, or lithium use in bipolar disorder or manic-depressive illness published from 1966 through 2000.

Results: Only 7 blinded, controlled trials of long-term antidepressant treatment in bipolar disorders were found. The available information is not adequate to support the safety or effectiveness of long-term antidepressant treatment for bipolar depression, with or without mood-stabilizing cotherapy.

Conclusion: Antidepressant treatment of bipolar depression is extraordinarily understudied. Controlled trials comparing specific antidepressants, particularly to compare mood-stabilizing agents given alone and combined with an antidepressant, are needed.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Anticonvulsants / therapeutic use*
  • Antidepressive Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Bipolar Disorder / drug therapy*
  • Controlled Clinical Trials as Topic / statistics & numerical data
  • Double-Blind Method
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Humans
  • Lithium / therapeutic use*
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Anticonvulsants
  • Antidepressive Agents
  • Lithium