Bipolar affective disorder Flashcards
What is the lifetime risk of developing bipolar affective disorder?
1%
What is the average age of onset for bipolar affective disorder?
20
Which gender is more affected by bipolar affective disorder?
Affected equally
Patients with a family history of which disorders are more at risk of developing bipolar disorder?
- Bipolar disorder
- Schizophrenia
- Schizoaffective disorder
What is the most important environmental risk factor for a patient with untreated bipolar disorder?
Giving birth - there is a 50% risk of mania postpartum in those with untreated bipolar affective disorder.
What are the neurotransmitters most closely associated with mania?
Mono amines:
- Dopamine
- Noradrenaline
- Seratonin
(Adrenaline and histamine are also monoamines)
Are manic episodes always associated with elation and euphoria?
No.
Some patients will experience irritability and or extreme suspicion during a manic episode. This is not uncommon. Patients actually experience irritability more often than euphoria.
What are some of the biological symptoms of mania or manic episodes?
- Decreased need for sleep
- very important early warning sign
- Increased energy
- initially in goal directed activities
- Patients may go on excessive spending sprees or engage in reckless promiscuity (impaired judgement)
- O/E unable to sit still
Why is increased energy dangerous as a symptom in someone experiencing a manic episode?
Can lead to physical exhaustion, dehydration and subsequent death
In a mental state exam, what might you notice in a manic patient with increased energy?
Psychomotor excitation:
- Patient is unable to sit still
- Frequently stands up
- Pacing around the room
- Gesticulating expansively
What are the cognitive symptoms associated with mania?
- Elevated sense of self esteem or grandiosity
- Poor concentration
- Accelerated thinking
- May present with flight of ideas and pressure of speech
- Impaired judgement and insight
What are the psychotic symptoms associated with mania and manic episodes?
- Disordered thought form
- Circumstantiality
- Tangentiality
- Flight of ideas
- Secondary delusional thinking
- Abnormal beliefs
- Perceptual disturbance
- Altered intensity of perceptions
What are the three degrees of severity of manic episodes as set out by the ICD-10?
- Hypo mania
- Mania without psychotic symptoms
- Mania with psychotic symptoms
Are psychotic symptoms more commonly associated with depressive episodes or manic episodes?
2/3rds of patients in a manic state will report psychotic symptoms whereas only 1/3rd of patients in a depressive episode will.
How are diagnoses of mania distinguished from hypo mania?
The level of interference with work or social activities.
Mania is a complete disruption, whereas hypomania is only a considerable interference.
Mania you get grandiose beliefs