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December 20, 2009
Anti-epileptic medications not associated with increased suicidality in bipolar disorder.
Medscape (12/11, Brauser) reported that, according to a study published in the Dec. issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry, anti-epileptic medications "are not associated with increased risk for suicide attempts in patients with bipolar disorder."
University of Illinois-Chicago researchers "evaluated a cohort of 47,918 patients with bipolar disorder (1,226 with at least one suicide attempt), including 25,432 non-medicated patients who were receiving no" anti-epileptics, "lithium, or central nervous system medication," then used ICD-9 "codes to identify suicide attempts, including deliberate self-harm." The team found "no overall difference in suicide attempt rates for the patients treated with" anti-epileptics, "compared with those not treated with" such medicines "or lithium."
Related Links:
- No Link Between Antiepileptics and Suicidality in Patients With Bipolar Disorder," Deborah Brauser, MedScape, December 11, 2009.
Posted by admin at December 20, 2009 07:06 PM