ArticlePloS one2011
Prescribing trends in bipolar disorder: cohort study in the United Kingdom THIN primary care database 1995-2009.
Article in PloS one, 2011. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 41 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
41 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Atypical Antipsychotics in the Treatment of Acute Bipolar Depression with Mixed Features: A Systematic Review and Exploratory Meta-Analysis of Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trials.International journal of molecular sciences · 2016Pooled it
- A systematic review and meta-analysis of premature mortality in bipolar affective disorder.Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica · 2015Pooled it
- Valproic acid, valproate and divalproex in the maintenance treatment of bipolar disorder.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2013Pooled it
- Comparative economic evaluation of quetiapine plus lamotrigine combination vs quetiapine monotherapy (and folic acid vs placebo) in patients with bipolar depression (CEQUEL).Bipolar disorders · 2018Trial
- Trends in the Use of Atypical Antipsychotics Among Children and Adolescents With Bipolar Spectrum Disorders in Korea.Bipolar disorders · 2026Article
- Article
- Analysing lithium, quetiapine and valproic acid on social media: an infodemiology study.International journal of bipolar disorders · 2025Article
- Prepandemic psychotropic drug status in Portugal: a nationwide pharmacoepidemiological profile.Scientific reports · 2023Article
- Comparison of Rates of Type 2 Diabetes in Adults and Children Treated With Anticonvulsant Mood Stabilizers.JAMA network open · 2022Observational
- Prescription Patterns for Bipolar Disorder in Asian Countries: Findings from Research on Asian Prescription Pattern-Bipolar Disorder.Clinical psychopharmacology and neuroscience : the official scientific journal of the Korean College of Neuropsychopharmacology · 2022Article
- Regional lithium prescription rates and recurrence in bipolar disorder.International journal of bipolar disorders · 2021Article
- Overview of lithium's use: a nationwide survey.International journal of bipolar disorders · 2021Article
- Antipsychotic treatment experiences of people with bipolar I disorder: patient perspectives from an online survey.BMC psychiatry · 2020Article
- Oral antipsychotic prescribing and association with neighbourhood-level socioeconomic status: analysis of time trend of routine primary care data in England, 2011-2016.Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology · 2020Article
- Why Do Psychiatrists Still Prescribe Valproate to Women of Childbearing Potential?Frontiers in psychiatry · 2020Article
- Polypharmacy-induced cognitive dysfunction and discontinuation of psychotropic medication: a neuropsychological case report.Therapeutic advances in psychopharmacology · 2020Article
- Use of Prescribed Psychotropics during Pregnancy: A Systematic Review of Pregnancy, Neonatal, and Childhood Outcomes.Brain sciences · 2019Review
- Complex Combination Pharmacotherapy for Bipolar Disorder: Knowing When Less Is More or More Is Better.Focus (American Psychiatric Publishing) · 2019Review
- Changes in prescribing for bipolar disorder between 2009 and 2016: national-level data linkage study in Scotland.The British journal of psychiatry : the journal of mental science · 2019Article
- Psychotropic usage by patients presenting to an academic eating disorders program.Eating and weight disorders : EWD · 2018Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
Abstract
objectivesTo determine changes in prescribing patterns in primary care of antipsychotic and mood stabiliser medication in a representative sample of patients with bipolar disorder in the United Kingdom over a fifteen year period and association with socio-demographic factors.
methodsWe identified 4700 patients in the Health Improvement Network (THIN) primary care database, who had received treatment for bipolar disorder between 1995 and 2009. The proportion of time for which each individual was prescribed a particular medication was studied, along with variation by sex, age and social depravation status (quintiles of Townsend scores). The number of drugs an individual was taking within a particular year was also examined.
resultsIn 1995, 40.6% of patients with bipolar disorder were prescribed a psychotropic medication at least twice. By 2009 this had increased to 78.5% of patients. Valproate registered with the greatest increase in use (22.7%) followed by olanzapine (15.7%) and quetiapine (9.9%). There were differences by age and sex; with young (18-30 year old) women having the biggest increase in proportion of time on medication. There were no differences by social deprivation status. By 2009, 34.2% of women of childbearing age were treated with valproate.
conclusionsLithium use overall remained relatively constant, whilst second generation antipsychotic and valproate use increased dramatically. Changes in prescribing practice preceded published trial evidence, especially with the use of second generation antipsychotics, perhaps with inferences being made from treatment of schizophrenia and use of first generation antipsychotics. Women of childbearing age were prescribed valproate frequently, against best advice.
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