Comparison and Assessment of Prescribing Pattern of Psychotropic Agents in Bipolar Affective Disorder with Mania and Depression

INTRODUCTION: Bipolar disorder is a recurring chronic disorder characterized by mood, state, and energy fluctuations. Individuals differ in symptoms, course, severity, and response to treatment. It is critical to know the current knowledge of the evolving pharmacological and psychological strategies in bipolar disorder. Primary Objective: To compare and assess the prescribing pattern of psychotropic agents in bipolar affective disorder with mania and depression in a tertiary care teaching hospital. Secondary Objectives: Determination of risk and cofactors associated with Bipolar Disorder Assessment of treatment modalities DESIGN: Prospective observational study RESULTS: The most commonly prescribed drug combination was Mood stabilizer + Antipsychotics + Benzodiazepine combination, 5(33.3%) in bipolar depression and9(60.0%) in bipolar mania. A very small percentage of patients(6.7%) received ECT. The most commonly prescribed drug was valproic acid (Mood stabilizer), 7(46.7%) in bipolar depression and 14(93.3%) in bipolar mania. CONCLUSION: According to the data, Mood stabilizers were found to be the most commonly prescribed drug. Combination treatments are prevalent, reflecting the complexity of managing bipolar disorder. Although various genetic and environmental risk factors are identified, the attributable risk of individual elements is often less. KEYWORDS: Bipolar disorder, Mania, Depression, Valproic acid