neuroscienceCME - Bipolar Mania: Improving Recognition, Diagnostic Accuracy, and Evidence-Based Treatment

A cardinal feature of bipolar disorder is the irregular recurrence of alternating abnormal mood states including depression, mania, and mixed states. Mania is frequently revealed retrospectively; patients are often not accurate in their recall of the severity and duration of symptoms, which can add further complexity to diagnosis. Symptoms of mania can include racing thoughts, pressured speech, irritability, lack of sleep, sexual preoccupation, excessive energy, and expansive mood, all of which can lead to problems at home, work, or school. Symptoms vary across individuals and disease course, and are often accompanied by comorbidities, all of which can pose diagnostic challenges. Delayed treatment has been shown to be associated in some cases with increased hospitalizations, greater risk of suicide, emergence of comorbid conditions, and global impairment. Once stabilized, maintenance treatment—pharmacotherapy, patient and family education, and psychosocial support—must be considered to prevent relapse, achie