COMPARATIVE EFFICACY OF LITHIUM AND ANTICONVULSANTS IN BIPOLAR DISORDER MANAGEMENT
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.48047/Abstract
Lithium is a common drug of choice to treat manic disorders, physicians also prescribe anticonvulsants such as valproic acid and Lamotrigine. Since the effectiveness of Lithium and anticonvulsants differs, comparing their efficacy helps clinicians make better treatment choices.
Aim: A research study performs a systematic evaluation of how well lithium-based medications function against anticonvulsants consisting of valproic acid and Lamotrigine for bipolar disorder management. This review performed a thematic analysis to combine study findings by comparing these treatment methods.
Method: Systematic review analysis included evaluating research conducted between 2015 and 2024. The authors used randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies in PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and PsycINFO databases. The research focused on extracting significant topics related to therapy success, recurrence prevention, and adverse effects from different studies through thematic data analysis.
Result: The research investigation uncovered three main discoveries, which showed that (1) Lithium works for manic episode prevention, (2) anticonvulsants control depressive symptoms, and (3) side effects create challenges for treatment adherence.
Conclusion: Clinicians consider Lithium as the leading medication to stop manic flare-ups and prevent relapses, yet Lamotrigine works best against depression symptoms. Therefore, clinicians must reevaluate treatment choices from case to case, depending on how well patients accept treatments and their anticipated side effects.
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