BIPOLAR DISORDER

Course overview

BIPOLAR DISORDER, ALSO KNOWN AS BIPOLAR AFFECTIVE DISORDER, IS ONE OF THE TOP 10 LEADING CAUSES OF DISABILITY WORLDWIDE. BIPOLAR DISORDER IS CHARACTERIZED BY CHRONICALLY OCCURRING EPISODES OF MANIA OR HYPOMANIA ALTERNATING WITH DEPRESSION AND IS OFTEN MISDIAGNOSED INITIALLY. TREATMENT INVOLVES PHARMACOTHERAPY AND PSYCHOSOCIAL INTERVENTIONS, BUT MOOD RELAPSE AND INCOMPLETE RESPONSE OCCUR, PARTICULARLY WITH DEPRESSION. CONTINUAL REEVALUATION AND TREATMENT MODIFICATION ARE COMMONLY REQUIRED DURING THE LONG-TERM CARE OF PATIENTS WITH BIPOLAR DISORDER. MANAGEMENT OF COMORBID PSYCHIATRIC AND CHRONIC MEDICAL CONDITIONS MAY ALSO BE NECESSARY. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE ETIOLOGY, CLASSIFICATION, EVALUATION, MANAGEMENT, AND PROGNOSIS OF BIPOLAR AFFECTIVE DISORDER, AND IT ALSO HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN MANAGING AND IMPROVING CARE FOR PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.