Bipolar disorder

Question 1

what is bipolar disorder described as?

Answer 1

Extreme shifts in mood, energy, mood and behaviour from the highs of mania at one extreme to the lows of depression at the other.

Episodes of bipolar depression (in comparison to unipolar depression) are more rapid in onset, more frequent, more severe, shorter and more likely to involve delusions.

Question 2

what are the types of bipolar disorder?

Answer 2

Bipolar I - at least one episode of mania which has lasted longer than a week. experience depressive episodes

Bipolar II- at least one episode of severe depression and symptoms of hypomania

Question 3

what are the interventions for those with bipolar depression?

Answer 3

physiological
- CBT
- interpersonal therapy
- behavioural couples therapy

pharmacological
- offer Fluoxetine combined with olanzapine or quetiapine

Question 4

what are the interventions for those with long-term bipolar depression?

Answer 4

physiological
individual/group/family interventions

pharmacological
- offer lithium as a first line
- second line in combination with valproate
- if lithium poor then consider valproate or olanzapine

Question 5

what is the range if lithium in the blood?

Answer 5

NTW
0.4-0.75mmol/L

Question 6

what must you have with starting lithium treatment?

Answer 6

lithium alert card