Citation

Miller C, Bauer MS. Curr. Psychiatry Rep. 2014; 16(11): 499.

Affiliation

Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA, christopher.miller8@va.gov.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s11920-014-0499-z

PMID

25194314

Abstract

Bipolar disorder is associated with high mortality, and people with this disorder on average may die 10-20 years earlier than the general population. This excess and premature mortality continues to occur despite a large and expanding selection of treatment options dating back to lithium and now including anticonvulsants, antipsychotics, and evidence-based psychotherapies. This review summarizes recent findings on mortality in bipolar disorder, with an emphasis on the role of suicide (accounting for about 15 % of deaths in this population) and cardiovascular disease (accounting for about 35-40 % of deaths). Recent care models and treatments incorporating active outreach, integrated mental and physical health care, and an emphasis on patient self-management have shown promise in reducing excess mortality in this population.

Language: en