Improving the pharmacotherapeutic treatment of agitation associated with bipolar disorder

Justin Faden, Joseph F. Goldberg, Leslie Citrome

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

Introduction: Agitation is commonly encountered in people with bipolar disorder, particularly when experiencing a manic episode. The number of approved pharmacological agents to manage acute episodes of agitation in this population is limited. Areas covered: A search was conducted using the US National Library of Medicine PubMed.gov resource for English-language papers of clinical trials and reviews/meta-analyses, using the text words ‘bipolar disorder’ AND ‘agitation,’ as well as any papers with both two text words in the title, without any date restrictions. Expert opinion: Existing pharmacologic options approved by regulatory authorities for the treatment of acute episodes of agitation associated with bipolar disorder have similar degrees of efficacy but differ in their tolerability profiles and ease of use, giving clinicians an opportunity to individualize treatment. The goal is to treat mild-moderate agitation before it evolves into severe agitation, encouraging noninvasive pharmacologic treatment options. Inhaled loxapine and sublingual dexmedetomidine are newer options with rapid onset of action and may be preferable for patients willing to cooperate with treatment.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1811-1822
Number of pages12
JournalExpert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy
Volume24
Issue number16
DOIs
StatePublished - 2023

Keywords

  • Aripiprazole
  • bipolar disorder
  • dexmedetomidine
  • inhaled loxapine
  • lorazepam
  • mania
  • olanzapine

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