First AD

Second AD

A. Only medications approved by the FDA for bipolar disorder

D. Non-FDA-approved medications that have been reported in peer-reviewed journals to be effective

During the past several years, multiple formal consensus guidelines for medical treatment of bipolar disorder have been published, usually by a group of academicians and experts on psychiatric organization committees from different countries. Most of these guidelines are organized into different tiers of preferred treatments that are ranked according to evidence-based supporting published research data and the strength of methodology utilized in each study.

Most psychiatrists who treat bipolar disorder are aware that many patients do not respond to FDA-approved medications for bipolar disorder and that trials of off-label, less-often prescribed agents are acceptable and preferable to no further treatment, especially for patients who refuse ECT or in whom ECT has failed.

6 Signs Your Patient Is at Risk for Treatment-Resistant Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar Disorder

Quizzes

What are the guidelines for working with patients who do not respond to FDA-approved medications for bipolar disorder?

Mini Quiz: Treatment-Resistant Bipolar Disorder

Charles B. Schaffer, MD