Vol., No. / October 2009

Maintaining wellness in patients with bipolar disorder: moving beyond efficacy to effectiveness

Release date: October 1, 2009
Expiration date: October 1, 2010

This activity was submitted by SciMed and supported by an educational grant from AstraZeneca. It was peer reviewed by Current Psychiatry and Annals of Clinical Psychiatry.

Target Audience

This activity is designed to meet the needs of psychiatrists and other mental health care professionals interested in the management of patients with bipolar disorder.

Program Overview

Bipolar disorder (BD) is one of the most difficult psychiatric conditions to accurately recognize and diagnose because many patients report depressive, but not manic, symptoms. Additionally, BD is often comorbid with drug and alcohol abuse as well as other psychiatric illnesses, which results in symptoms that are complex and challenging to evaluate and treat. Patients with BD also experience more physical illnesses compared with the general population, and comorbid medical disorders are associated with poor functional outcomes.

Maintaining wellness in patients with BD requires consideration of the potential negative effects BD can have on functioning, quality of life, and interpersonal relationships. Since BD is a chronic disorder, long-term treatment is needed and should include both psychopharmacologic and psychosocial therapies. Evidence exists to support the use of various pharmacotherapies for the effective management of patients with depressive and/or manic symptoms of BD. Treatment optimization depends on the appropriate choice of therapies for individual patients, particularly in cases with coexisting psychiatric and medical conditions.

This activity will provide an evidence-based approach to the treatment of patients with BD using pharmacologic and psychosocial therapies. The efficacy, safety, and tolerability of various treatment interventions will be discussed based on data from the most recent clinical trials. Long-term treatment strategies will be outlined, focusing on enhancement of patient satisfaction, the minimization of adverse events, and improvement of overall patient outcomes.

Learning Objectives

After completing this activity, participants should be better able to:

• Develop an evidence-based approach to the treatment of patients with BD based on available treatment options
• Integrate appropriate nonpharmacologic management strategies into treatment programs for patients with BD
• Outline long-term strategies to enhance overall patient outcomes while minimizing the risk of medication-related adverse events
• Recognize the long-term consequences of the choice of pharmacotherapy on overall patient health and quality of life

This supplement is based on the live program entitled “Maintaining Wellness in Patients With Bipolar Disorder: Moving Beyond Efficacy to Effectiveness”, held as a lunch symposium on April 3, 2009, at the Westin River North, Chicago, Illinois, in conjunction with the 2009 Current Psychiatry/American Academy of Clinical Psychiatrists meeting, and represents the same content material.

Activity Chairperson

S. Nassir Ghaemi, MD, MPH,
Director, Mood Disorders and Psychopharmacology Programs,
Professor of Psychiatry,
Tufts Medical Center,
Boston, Massachusetts

Faculty

Claudia F. Baldassano, MD,
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry,
Director, Bipolar Outpatient Program,
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Robert M. A. Hirschfeld, MD,
Titus H. Harris Chair,
Harry K. Davis Professor,
Professor and Chairperson,
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences,
University of Texas Medical Branch,
Galveston, Texas

Accreditation Statement

SciMed is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Credit Designation

SciMed designates this educational activity for a maximum of 2 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Disclosure and Resolution of Conflicts of Interest

SciMed assesses conflicts of interest with its faculty and all individuals who are in a position to control the content of CME activities. All relevant conflicts of interest that are identified are resolved by SciMed to ensure fair balance and scientific objectivity. When asked to report any potential conflict(s) of interest, faculty reported the following:

Claudia F. Baldassano, MD

Speakers Bureau: AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer Inc

S. Nassir Ghaemi, MD, MPH

Grants/Research Support: Pfizer Inc,
Speakers Bureau: AstraZeneca, Pfizer Inc,
Honoraria: Bristol-Myers Squibb Company

Robert M. A. Hirschfeld, MD

Consultant/Advisory Board: Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma Co., Ltd., Forest Laboratories, Inc., Pfizer Inc, Takeda Pharmaceuticals Inc.,
Royalties: Epocrates, The Merck Manual, Taylor and Francis Group

All SciMed personnel involved in the development of content for this activity have no relevant conflicts to report. The materials for this activity were peer reviewed by Jeffrey Susman, MD, University of Cincinnati, and Donald W. Black, MD, University of Iowa.

Credit Requirements

There are no fees for participating in and receiving CME credit for this activity. In order to obtain CME credit for participating in this activity between the period October 1, 2009, through October 1, 2010, participants must:

• Read the learning objectives and disclosure statements
• Study the entire educational activity
• Complete the posttest by recording the best answer to each question
• Complete the activity evaluation, which includes a request-for-credit section
• Mail or fax the evaluation form with answer key to SciMed per the instructions on the form

A statement of credit will be issued only upon receipt of a completed activity evaluation and a completed posttest with a score of 80% or better. Participants will be mailed a certificate or statement of credit within 4 to 6 weeks.

Disclaimer

The opinions or views expressed in this CME activity are those of the presenters and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or recommendations of SciMed or the commercial supporter. Participants should critically appraise the information presented and are encouraged to consult appropriate resources for information surrounding any product, device, or procedure mentioned.

Current Psychiatry ©2009 Quadrant HealthCom Inc.