Treating Bipolar Disorder in Primary Care: Diagnosis, Pharmacology, and Management

Heather Huang; Nicholas Nissen; Christopher T Lim; Jessica L Gören; Margaret Spottswood; Hsiang Huang

doi:10.2147/IJGM.S386875

Treating Bipolar Disorder in Primary Care: Diagnosis, Pharmacology, and Management

Int J Gen Med. 2022 Nov 23:15:8299-8314. doi: 10.2147/IJGM.S386875. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Heather Huang¹, Nicholas Nissen², Christopher T Lim³, Jessica L Gören^{2

4}, Margaret Spottswood^{5

6}, Hsiang Huang²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, USA.
² Department of Psychiatry, Cambridge Health Alliance, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, USA.
³ Department of Psychiatry, Boston Medical Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
⁴ Department of Pharmacy, Cambridge Health Alliance, Cambridge, MA, USA.
⁵ Community Health Centers of Burlington, Burlington, VT, USA.
⁶ Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, VT, USA.

Abstract

Bipolar disorder is a chronic mental illness associated with early mortality, elevated risk of comorbid cardiovascular disease, enormous burden of disability, and large societal costs. Patients often seek treatment for symptoms of bipolar disorder in the primary care setting but are frequently misdiagnosed. This article provides primary care providers with an evidence-based approach to the screening, diagnosis, and pharmacological management of bipolar disorder. Guidance is also provided for helping patients connect with higher levels of specialty psychiatric care when clinically indicated.

Keywords: bipolar disorder; integrated behavioral care; mood disorders; primary care mental health.