Lithium May Be As Effective As Valproate For Mania In Older Patients With BD

Medscape (3/27, Brauser) reports, "Lithium is just as effective for treating mania in older patients with bipolar disorder (BD) as the more commonly used valproate," according to a study presented at the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry's annual meeting. The study was based on a screening of "2,408 older adult patients with bipolar 1 disorder," though "only 224 were selected for randomization." The study found that "both lithium and valproate were adequately tolerated, and side effects were not the primary reason for attrition."

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