A free, continuously updated guide to bipolar disorder treatments
The most comprehensive review to date has identified the most effective bipolar disorder treatments across different age groups and mood phases. It was published in The BMJ.
A new, constantly updated online guide has been created to help people with bipolar disorder and their healthcare providers make informed decisions about treatments. This comprehensive review, published in The BMJ, is the most extensive study to date, examining 77 meta-analyses that cover 116 different treatments for bipolar disorder across various age groups and mood phases.
The research, led by teams from The Ottawa Hospital, the University of Barcelona, the University of Padua, Université Paris Nanterre, and the University of Southampton, aims to provide the most effective and safest treatments for each individual.
The study's findings have been incorporated into the Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments (CANMAT) and International Society for Bipolar Disorders (ISBD) guidelines for managing bipolar disorder. The project's website, co-designed with experts including guideline makers, people with lived experience of bipolar disorder, clinicians, and family doctors, is now freely accessible.
It presents the impact, side effects, and strength of evidence for each treatment, allowing clinicians and patients to make shared decisions about the best course of action.
Bipolar disorder, affecting approximately 39.5 million people worldwide, is characterized by alternating periods of depression and mania. Medications for bipolar disorder can have varied side effects, and less than half of those diagnosed find an effective treatment. This living umbrella review addresses this issue by providing a continuously updated resource that can be easily adapted as new evidence emerges.
The team hopes that the platform will be used by clinicians to find the optimal balance between efficacy and side effects, tailored to each patient's needs.
Future plans include expanding the review to cover other mental health conditions, such as eating disorders, PTSD, obsessive-compulsive disorder, sleep disorders, and psychedelic interventions. This innovative approach to mental health research aims to improve care efficiency and effectiveness, ultimately benefiting those living with bipolar disorder.
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