Trends in mood stabilizers use in an acute psychiatric unit

Background and Aims:In the last decades there has been a steady increase in the usage of mood stabilizers (MS); especially for prevention of affective disorders and those illnesses with important loss of impulse control. Our objective was to evaluate trends in the use of MS in our Unit.Methods:113 patients prescribed a MS when admitted, or discharged, from our acute unit, were selected between March 2007 and August 2007. Clinical and demographic relevant variables were taken into consideration. Diagnoses were divided into 10 different categories. Statistical methods were used when appropriated.Results:40.37% of all the admitted patients were taking MS (100% of all the patients with Borderline Personality Disorders, BPD; 80% of all the patients with Bipolar Disorders, BD). Topiramate (40.71%), Oxcarbamazepine (27.43%) and Lamotrigine (23.89%), were the most used MS. In BD, the use of lithium was common but usually in combination therapy. Topiramate was used for BPD and Lamotrigine for unipolar depression. The largest increase of prescription during admission was observed with oxcarbamazepine.Conclusions:Nearly a third of the patients admitted received MS, which indicates a high prevalence of use. Lithium remains the first choice MS for the treatment of BD, usually used in association with another MS.New MS are widely used, especially in disorders which include impulsivity, probably due to a better profile of adverse reactions/interactions than classic MS. However more solid evidence of their efficacy is needed.