Polypharmacy and suicide attempts in bipolar disorder.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

The aim of this study was to assess the association between suicide attempts and the use of multiple drugs in patients with bipolar disorder.

METHOD:

One hundred sixty-nine bipolar disorder outpatients diagnosed using the DSM-IV Structured Clinical Interview were included. Demographic and socioeconomic data, number of medications currently in use, history of suicide attempts, number of years undiagnosed, age of onset and current psychiatric co-morbidities were assessed using a structured questionnaire and DSM-IV criteria. The main outcome measure was the number of psychotropic drugs currently in use.

RESULTS:

Approximately half of all patients (48.5%) presented a history of suicide attempt; 84% were using more than one medication, and 19% were using more than three drugs. The most frequent combinations of drugs used by these patients were: lithium + valproate (17%); lithium + antipsychotics (10%); lithium + valproate + antipsychotics (9%); and antidepressants + any drug (6%). The number of suicide attempts was associated with the use of multiple drugs.

CONCLUSIONS:

Our findings support the notion that the use of combination therapy in bipolar disorder may be related to severity of the BD, such as number of suicide attempts.

• Authors: Fernando Kratz Gazalle, Pedro Curi Hallal, Juliana Tramontina, Adriane Ribeiro Rosa, Ana Cristina Andreazza, Vanessa Zanatto, Aida Santin, Flávio Kapczinski, Keila Maria Ceresér
• Journal: Revista brasileira de psiquiatria (Sao Paulo, Brazil : 1999) (Braz J Psychiatry) Vol. 29 Issue 1 Pg. 35-8 (Mar 2007) ISSN: 1516-4446 [Print] Brazil
• PMID: 17435926 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antidepressive Agents
• Antimanic Agents
• Antipsychotic Agents
• Lithium Compounds
• Valproic Acid

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Age of Onset
• Antidepressive Agents (therapeutic use)
• Antimanic Agents (therapeutic use)
• Antipsychotic Agents (therapeutic use)
• Bipolar Disorder (drug therapy, epidemiology)
• Brazil (epidemiology)
• Comorbidity
• Drug Therapy, Combination
• Epidemiologic Methods
• Female
• Humans
• Interview, Psychological
• Lithium Compounds (therapeutic use)
• Male
• Polypharmacy
• Suicide, Attempted (statistics & numerical data)
• Valproic Acid (therapeutic use)