TY - JOUR T1 - Drug treatments for bipolar disorder: 1 - Acute manic or depressive JF - Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin JO - Drug Ther Bull SP - 28 LP - 32 DO - 10.1136/dtb.2005.43428 VL - 43 IS - 4 A2 - , Y1 - 2005/04/01 UR - http://dtb.bmj.com/content/43/4/28.abstract N2 - Relevant BNF sections: 4.1.2, 4.2.1, 4.2.3, 4.3Bipolar disorder is a severe, chronic mental illness characterised by repeated episodes of mania or hypomania, depression or mixed affective states.1 Depending on the clinical context, treatment may involve drugs, psychological therapies, social interventions and/or electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).2,3 Here we concentrate on the role of drug treatments for acute manic or depressive episodes in adults with bipolar disorder. A second article will consider their role as maintenance and preventive therapy, and in special situations such as pregnancy. ER -