The treatment of bipolar disorder typically involves managing acute episodes and implementing maintenance strategies to prevent recurrence. While effective treatments exist for both manic and depressive episodes, lithium remains the most well-supported drug for long-term maintenance. This is based on studies conducted under non-enriched conditions, where patients in remission from acute episodes were randomly assigned to continue treatment with either lithium, a comparator drug, or a placebo. Lithium’s demonstrated effectiveness in these studies, particularly its superiority over placebo, supports its use even in patients without a known prior response to the drug.
Despite lithium’s established role in treating bipolar disorder, its use has declined. Cariprazine, a newer atypical antipsychotic, has shown promise in treating depressive episodes in bipolar disorder type 1 and has been well-tolerated in trials. However, its use is still relatively limited, and its long-term efficacy and safety profile are less well-established compared to lithium.
In our ongoing study, we aim to compare the effectiveness of lithium and cariprazine in patients with bipolar disorder currently experiencing a depressive episode. Lithium is well-documented for managing mania and as a maintenance treatment, while cariprazine has been rigorously tested for its effectiveness in treating bipolar depression. By comparing these two treatments, our study will provide valuable insights into whether lithium’s role should extend beyond mania and maintenance to include treatment for depressive episodes, as suggested by current guidelines, or whether its use should remain more focused on its established strengths.
© 2025 Igsli – Designet af Aveo web&marketing
