American Doctors Often Don’t Follow Lithium Treatment Guidelines
A large new study from Johns Hopkins researchers looked at how bipolar disorder is actually treated in real life. Using electronic health records from more than 12,800 patients treated between 2017 and 2022, the researchers examined who gets lithium, who gets antidepressants, and what factors influence those decisions. Learn about common treatment mistakes.
Treating Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder affects about 2 – 4% of adults in the United States and is linked to high risks of hospitalization, disability, and suicide.
Lithium is considered a first-line treatment for bipolar disorder by major medical guidelines. It has strong evidence for preventing mood episodes and reducing suicide risk. Antidepressants, by contrast, remain controversial in this condition and are generally not recommended without a mood-stabilizing drug because they can trigger mania.
What Common Mistakes Do Doctors Make?
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Only 27% of patients with bipolar disorder were prescribed lithium at any point during the study period.
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About half of the patients were prescribed antidepressants.
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About half of those on antidepressants were not given a mood stabilizer at the same time, which goes against treatment guidelines.
Check If You Are in a High-Risk Group
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Black patients were about 30% less likely to receive lithium than white patients.
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Patients with public insurance or those living in more economically deprived areas were also less likely to receive lithium.
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Older adults were less likely to receive lithium and more likely to receive antidepressants alone.
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Patients treated in primary care were far less likely to receive lithium than those treated by psychiatrists.
Questions to Ask Your Doctor
Don’t hesitate to request more information from your physician or psychiatrist. Consider asking them these questions:
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“Is this medication recommended for bipolar disorder?”
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“Should I be on a mood stabilizer?”
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“Why was lithium considered or not considered in my case?”
If you are looking for an over-the-counter lithium supplement, you may want to learn more about Normotim.