The evolving paradigm for bipolar disorder.

T his ACADEMIC HIGHLIGHTS section of The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry presents the highlights of the planning teleconference series “The Evolving Paradigm for Bipolar Disorder,” which was held in July 2006. This report was prepared by the CME Institute of Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc., and was supported by an educational grant from BristolMyers Squibb Company and Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc. The teleconference was chaired by Paul E. Keck, Jr., M.D., Department of Psychiatry, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio. The faculty were Gary S. Sachs, M.D., Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Partners Bipolar Treatment Center, Boston; and Eduard Vieta, M.D., Ph.D., Bipolar Disorders Program, Hospital Clinic IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. Faculty disclosure: In the spirit of full disclosure and in compliance with all ACCME Essential Areas and Policies, the faculty for this CME article were asked to complete a statement regarding all relevant financial relationships between themselves or their spouse/partner and any commercial interest (i.e., a proprietary entity producing health care goods or services) occurring within the 12 months prior to joining this activity. The CME Institute has resolved any conflicts of interest that were identified. The disclosures are as follows: Dr. Keck is a consultant for or a member of the scientific advisory boards of Abbott, AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb, GlaxoSmithKline, Janssen, Eli Lilly, Memory, Neurocrine Biosciences, Ortho-McNeil, Pfizer, and Shire and is a principal or co-investigator on research studies sponsored by Abbott, the American Diabetes Association, AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb, GlaxoSmithKline, Eli Lilly, Janssen, Memory, Merck, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Organon, Ortho-McNeil, Pfizer, the Stanley Medical Research Institute, and UCB Pharma. Dr. Sachs is a consultant for Abbott, GlaxoSmithKline, Janssen, Eli Lilly, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Novartis, Sanofi, Shire, and AstraZeneca; has received grant support from Janssen and Wyeth; and has received honoraria from Abbott, GlaxoSmithKline, Janssen, Eli Lilly, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Solvay, Novartis, Sanofi, AstraZeneca, Pfizer, and Wyeth. Dr. Vieta is a consultant for AstraZeneca, Bial, BristolMyers Squibb, Eli Lilly, GlaxoSmithKline, Janssen, Merck, Lundbeck, Novartis, Organon, Otsuka, Pfizer, Sanofi-Aventis, Servier, and UCB Pharma; has received grant/research support from AstraZeneca, Bial, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, GlaxoSmithKline, Janssen, Novartis, Otsuka, Pfizer, Sanofi-Aventis, and Servier; and is a member of the speakers bureau for AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, GlaxoSmithKline, Janssen, Lundbeck, Novartis, Otsuka, and Pfizer. The opinions expressed herein are those of the faculty and do not necessarily reflect the views of the CME provider and publisher or the commercial supporter. Bipolar disorder is a recurrent illness, and treatment of bipolar disorder is challenging. Although no cure exists, effective acute and maintenance management of the illness can reduce morbidity and mortality associated with the illness. The following presentations by experts in the field address the selection of appropriate treatment for the acute and long-term management of bipolar disorder based on trial data for atypical antipsychotics and mood stabilizers.