CARBAMAZEPINE IN THE PROPHYLAXIS OF MOOD DISORDERS

Alternatives to lithium are descirable in the prophylaxis of affective disorders,especially in patients who are intolerant of or do not responed to that drug. In the past few years the anticonvulsant carbamazepine has been in the foreground of discussion. Twenty-four patients with affective diaorders(17 nuipolar depressed,six bipolar,and one unipolar manic)were include in a comparative trial of lithium and carbamzepine; 12 had been pretreated with lithium without a satisfactory effect. All patients received carbamazepine(four received it in combintion with litnium) over a mean time span of 20.2 months. Eighty percent of the patients improved with carbamzepine treatment. Side effects were infrequent. © 1990 Williams and Wilkins.