Drugs for Bipolar Disorder

Drugs for bipolar disorder are often an important component of bipolar disorder treatment. Everyone responds differently to bipolar medication, so you’ll want to work closely with your health care provider to find the drug or combination of drugs that work best for you, with the fewest side effects. Be aware of adverse drug interactions with one another or with herbal supplements you may be taking.

Mood Stabilizers

Commonly used drugs for bipolar disorder include mood-stabilizing drugs, such as lithium. Lithium can diminish the effects of manic episodes, and in some cases, it can fully prevent them. When taking lithium, you’ll need to undergo occasional blood tests to make sure you’re on the correct dosage. Possible side effects of lithium include:

Diarrhea
Frequent urination
Memory problems and trouble concentrating
Nausea
Tremors and shaking.

Lithium can also affect test results that measure thyroid gland, kidney or heart function. Although this change is usually negligible, your doctor will perform tests before you start taking lithium to provide a baseline comparison.

Anticonvulsant medications are another type of mood stabilizer. The anticonvulsant valproic acid causes fewer side effects for some people than lithium, and often works just as well. Common side effects of valproic acid include:

Diarrhea
Fatigue
Loss of appetite
Nausea
Tremors and shaking
Weight gain.

These side effects usually diminish over time. Other rare, but serious, side effects include liver damage and blood-clotting problems.

Two other commonly used anticonvulsant drugs for bipolar disorder are carbamazepine and lamotrigine.

Common side effects of carbamazepine include:

Blurred vision
Dizziness
Drowsiness
Nausea
Vomiting.

You can often avoid these side effects by starting with a low dose and increasing it gradually. Rare, but serious, side effects of carbamazepine include severe skin rashes, liver inflammation and reduced red and white blood cell counts.

Some studies show that lamotrigine works better than lithium at preventing bipolar depressive episodes, although lithium is more effective at preventing mania. Lamotrigine can cause a severe rash that can rarely become dangerous. Lamotrigine also commonly causes nausea and headache.

Antipsychotic Medications

Studies have shown that some newer antipsychotic drugs can help control symptoms of bipolar disorder, including:

Aripiprazole
Olanzapine
Quetiapine
Risperidone
Ziprasidone.

Side effects of these drugs range from sleepiness to dry mouth to weight gain. Some may also increase the risk of diabetes, high cholesterol and triglycerides.

Antidepressants

Another bipolar medication option is antidepressant drugs, although this bipolar disorder treatment is somewhat controversial. Some studies suggest that these drugs can cause manic episodes or bring on rapid switches between mania and depression. However, other studies suggest that antidepressants are valuable in treating bipolar disorder, usually when combined with a mood stabilizer or antipsychotic.

Anti-Anxiety Medications

Drugs sometimes used for calming anxiety and improving sleep during a manic episode are benzodiazepines, including:

Alprazolam (Xanax^®)
Chlordiazepoxide (Librium)
Clonazepam (Klonopin^®)
Lorazepam (Ativan^®).

Potential side effects include drowsiness, reduced muscle coordination and balance and memory problems.

Resources
Aetna IntelliHealth Staff. (2008). Bipolar disorder (Manic depressive illness or manic depression). Retrieved May 19, 2010, from the Aetna website: www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/W/9339/34929.html.

Mayo Clinic Staff. (2010). Bipolar disorder: Treatments and drugs. Retrieved May 14, 2010, from the Mayo Clinic website: www.mayoclinic.com/health/bipolar-disorder/DS00356/DSECTION=treatments-and-drugs.

National Institute of Mental Health Staff. (n.d.). Bipolar disorder. Retrieved May 14, 2010, from the National Institute of Mental Health website: www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/bipolar-disorder/complete-index.shtml.