Carbamazepine in the treatment of mania

ABSTRACT

This study was conducted on 44 manic patients diagnosed according to the criteria of ICD 10 and randomly assigned into two groups, carbamazepine treated group [N=24] and Haloperidol treated group [N = 20]. Treatment response was measured objectively by using Beigel Manic Rating Scale and Scale for Affective Disorders [SAD]. Beck depression inventory was used to evaluate outcome and detect development of depression after therapy. Carbamazepine has demonestrated substantial effectiveness in 50% of manic patients. Therapeutic remission occured mostly within 8 weeks after initiation of therapy. If after 3-4 weeks in the high therapeutic range a patient fails to respond, alternative therapeutic measures should be considered. Carbamazepjne induced therapeutic response rates nearly comparable to those induced by haloperidol, however, it showed rather more rapid action, better tolerability, less side effects and less risk for development of depression