Atypical antipsychotics in the therapy of bipolar disorders: efficacy and safety

Abstract

Bipolar disorders are characterized by recurrent manic and depressive phases with early onset and poor prognosis for chronic symptoms and premature death. Almost a third of patients do not improve with the available treatments. Atypical antipsychotics have been tested in the treatment of bipolar disorder as an alternative to typical neuroleptics due to their safer side effect profile and have been hypothesized to be mood stabilizers on the basis of their activity on affective symptoms of schizophrenia. The most significant studies published up to now, concerning the use of clozapine, olanzapine, risperidone, quetiapine and ziprasidone in bipolar disorders are reviewed here. The receptor profile of these drugs is related to their side effects. Finally, the current indications of atypical antipsychotics and future research are discussed.

• bipolar disorders
• clinical trials
• clozapine
• olanzapine
• pharmacological profile
• quetiapine
• risperidone
• side effects
• ziprasidone