Polypharmacy as maintenance treatment in bipolar illness: A systematic review.

Andrea AmerioDaniel RussoNorberto MilettoAndrea AgugliaAlessandra CostanzaBeatrice BenattiAnna OdoneSergio A BarroilhetVlasios BrakouliasBernardo Dell'OssoGianluca SerafiniMario AmoreSeyyed Nassir Ghaemi

Published in: Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica (2021)

The literature to support a generally greater efficacy with polypharmacy in bipolar illness is scant and heterogeneous. Within that limited evidence base, the best drug combination in bipolar prevention is represented by lithium + valproic acid for manic, but not depressive episodes. Clinical practice should focus more on adequate monotherapy before considering polypharmacy.

Keyphrases

bipolar disorder
adverse drug
clinical practice
combination therapy
systematic review
open label
randomized controlled trial
emergency department
clinical trial
double blind