Bipolar affective disorder Flashcards
What is bipolar I disorder?
Episodic mood disorders characterised by episodes of mania, hypomania or mixed
Charaterised by one or more episodes of above
What does a patient experience in a manic episode
Euphoria, irritability, expansiveness
Increased activity/increase energy
Increase self-esteem/grandiosity
Rapid/pressure of speech
Flight of ideas
Decrease need for sleep
Distractibility
Impulsive/Reckless behaviour
Rapid changes between mood states (labile mood)
What is the difference between type I and II bipolar?
type I - manic episode
II - hypomanic episode
How long do manic symptoms have to last to be classed as an episode?
1 week
How long does a mixed episode have to last to be official?
2 weeks
What does a patient experience in a mixed episode presentation?
Several prominent manic symptoms and several prominenet depressive symptoms occuring for most of the day nearly every day
lifetime prevalence of bipolar
1% general pop
How does bipolar I presnetation differ with gender?
Males earlier onset and more diabling manic symptoms
Females - more depressive symptoms
Equal occurence
When is risk of suicide in bipolar I esp high?
Fallout after manic episode eg spending, relationship breakdwon realisation
Type II - depressive episodes
What often cooccurs with bipolar I disorder?
Substance use disroder
Panic disorder
What does co-occurence of panic disorder with bipolar I suggest?
More severe illness, poorer response to treatment and higher risk of suicide
How long do depressive symptoms need to alst to be an episode in bipolar?
2 weeks
How liong does hypomania have to last to be an epsiode?
Severeal days
How is Bipolar II charactereised?
1 or more hypomanic episode AND ar least one depressive episode
No prev hisotry of manic or mixed episodes
Hypomanic episode symptoms
persistent elevated mood
persistent irritability
increase activity/energy
increase talkativeness
rapid/racing thoughts
increase self-esteem
decrease need for sleep
distractibility
impulsive/reckless behaviour
Hypomanic episode symptoms
persistent elevated mood
persistent irritability
increase activity/energy
increase talkativeness
rapid/racing thoughts
increase self-esteem
decrease need for sleep
distractibility
impulsive/reckless behaviour
How does a patient present in a hypomainic episode?
Significant change from usual mood, energy and behaviour but no impairment in funcitoning
Depressive episode symptoms
period of low mood
diminished interest in activities
changes in appetite
changes in sleep
psychomotor agitation/retardation
fatigue
feelings of worthlessness/inappropriate guilt
hopelessness
difficulty in concentrating
suicidality
Onset of bipolar II disorder
Late adolescent to mid 20s
Often with one or more depressive episodes - unrecognised before symptmos hypomania emerge
Why review diagnosis of type II bipolar at each patient contact
15% develop episodes of mania - change to typt I
Why do people with bipolar have a higher risk of developing medical conditions?
CVD diseases, metabolic syndrome due to effect of medicaitons
Risks in bipolar affective disorder
Overspending, debts
Disinhibition (incl. promiscuity, pregnancy)
Exploitation – financial, relationship,
Driving
Family/Children
Violence – self & others
Self-neglect – personal care, physical health
Suicide
Alcohol and Recreational substances
How much higher are rates of suicide in bipolar than normal pop?
15 x
Why do antidepressants often not help in bipolar?
Can cause manic switch - from depression to mania
What is bipoilar often misdiagnosed as?
Depression - depressive episodes have same criteria, esp type II
Why can it be difficult to diagnose manic episodes?
Patients reporting bias - prefer to be in manic/hypomanic state, get more done
Mixed mood episodes are quite common, obscure mania