BIPOLAR AFFECTIVE DISORDER

Course overview

BIPOLAR AFFECTIVE DISORDER IS A CHRONIC AND COMPLEX DISORDER OF MOOD THAT IS CHARACTERIZED BY A COMBINATION OF MANIC (BIPOLAR MANIA), HYPOMANIC AND DEPRESSIVE (BIPOLAR DEPRESSION) EPISODES, WITH SUBSTANTIAL SUBSYNDROMAL SYMPTOMS THAT COMMONLY PRESENT BETWEEN MAJOR MOOD EPISODES. IT IS ONE OF THE TOP CAUSES OF WORLDWIDE DISABILITY. BIPOLAR 1 DISORDER HAS BEEN FREQUENTLY ASSOCIATED WITH SERIOUS MEDICAL AND PSYCHIATRIC COMORBIDITY, EARLY MORTALITY, HIGH LEVELS OF FUNCTIONAL DISABILITY, AND COMPROMISED QUALITY OF LIFE. THE NECESSARY FEATURE OF BIPOLAR 1 DISORDER INVOLVES THE OCCURRENCE OF AT LEAST ONE LIFETIME MANIC EPISODE, ALTHOUGH DEPRESSIVE EPISODES ARE COMMON. BIPOLAR 2 DISORDER NEEDS THE OCCURRENCE OF AT LEAST ONE HYPOMANIC EPISODE AND ONE MAJOR DEPRESSIVE EPISODE. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE ETIOLOGY, PATHOPHYSIOLOGY, EVALUATION, AND MANAGEMENT OF BIPOLAR AFFECTIVE DISORDER AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN MANAGING AND IMPROVING CARE FOR PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION. THIS ACTIVITY ALSO ADDRESSES THE PROGNOSIS OF BIPOLAR AFFECTIVE DISORDER.