Section - Quick Takes

01. Comparison of the Efficacy and Safety of Quetiapine and Lithium for Bipolar Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Published on November 1, 2022 Certification expiration date: November 1, 2028

James Phelps, M.D.

Research Editor - Psychopharmacology Institute

Key Points

The efficacy of lithium in the treatment of acute bipolar depression has been debated.
This meta-analysis comparing the efficacy of lithium and quetiapine for bipolar depression keeps the debate alive.
More telling may be a recent study showing that metformin, when it reverses metabolic syndrome, is an effective treatment for bipolar depression.

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Difficult cases roll downhill toward you, right? Not simple unipolar depression. Instead, it’s mood plus trauma plus anxiety. Making the differential diagnosis is difficult, to put it mildly. And among those difficult cases, one of the more treatable illnesses, if it’s there, is bipolar depression. If we skip over somatic modalities, like ECT and light therapy, for the moment, what would be your top 2 pharmacologic choices for bipolar depression? What do your patients seem to choose?

Hi! Jim Phelps here for the Psychopharmacology Institute. Let’s review some current treatment guidelines. Then I’ll come around to a recent comparison of quetiapine and lithium for bipolar depression. So, what was at the top of your list of pharmacotherapies? For bipolar disorders, you can think about risk–benefit ratios in 2 timeframes, short and long term, because prevention of subsequent episodes is almost always part of the equation. Now, international treatment guidelines sort

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02. Impact of Selected Initial Titration Schedules on Safety and Long-Term Effectiveness of Lamotrigine for the Treatment of Mood Disorders

Learning Objectives:

After completing this activity, the learner will be able to:

Examine treatment guidelines and a recent meta-analysis regarding the efficacy of lithium as a treatment for bipolar depression in comparison to quetiapine.
Compare the rate of benign rash in patients whose lamotrigine dose was titrated using standard titration rates vs those whose lamotrigine dose was titrated using the slower titration rates.
Evaluate the efficacy of sertraline, relative to placebo, for the treatment of depression in primary care.
Compare the efficacy of antidepressants in the treatment of depression using the concept of minimal clinically important difference (MICD).
Evaluate a randomized trial of omega-3 fatty acids as adjuncts for venlafaxine, as well as meta-analyses of omega-3 efficacy for the treatment of depression and anxiety.

Original Release Date: November 1, 2022

Review and Re-release Date: November 1, 2025

Expiration Date: November 1, 2028

Expert: James Phelps, M.D.

Medical Editor: Melissa Mariano, M.D.

Relevant Financial Disclosures:

None of the faculty, planners, and reviewers for this educational activity have relevant financial relationships to disclose during the last 24 months with ineligible companies whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients.

Contact Information: For questions regarding the content or access to this activity, contact us at support@psychopharmacologyinstitute.com

Instructions for Participation and Credit:

Participants must complete the activity online during the valid credit period that is noted above.

Follow these steps to earn CME credit:

View the required educational content provided on this course page.
Complete the Post Activity Evaluation for providing the necessary feedback for continuing accreditation purposes and for the development of future activities. NOTE: Completing the Post Activity Evaluation after the quiz is required to receive the earned credit.
Download your certificate.

Accreditation Statement

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education through the joint providership of Medical Academy LLC and the Psychopharmacology Institute. Medical Academy is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Credit Designation Statement

Medical Academy designates this enduring activity for a maximum of 0.5 AMA PRA Category 1 credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.