Bipolar disorder

Abstract

Bipolar disorder is a highly psychiatric disorder that the is associated a particularly high lifetime risk of Although estimates of the prevalence of bipolar disorder vary, the fact that up to 3.5% of the population is affected means that the majority of GPs in the UK will have to manage several cases as part of their routine workload. However, the diagnosis and subsequent treatment of bipolar disorder are very complex and can be very challenging even for the most experienced clinician. In particular, it is apparent that the rate of misdiagnosis of bipolar disorder is very high, particularly when attempting to differentiate the depressive phase of the condition from unipolar major depression. Failure to so may that inappropriate treatment with antidepressants is which has the potential to trigger an acute treatment initiation and of a is in secondary GP. A variety of treatment options are to the the use of behavioural and in certain the management of bipolar which, it is hoped, to the management of this complex