Which drugs are used as mood stabilisers?
The drugs that are used as mood stabilisers are lithium, and some of the anticonvulsant drugs which were originally made for treating epilepsy. The anticonvulsants that are currently used are valproate (Depakote), carbamazepine (Tegretol), and lamotrigine (Lamictal). Other drugs licensed to treat mania are the antipsychotics olanzapine (Zyprexa), quetiapine (Seroquel), aripiprazole (Abilify) and risperidone (Risperdal) which may be combined with lithium or valproate. Older antipsychotics are also used, but high doses of haloperidol, fluphenazine or flupentixol may be hazardous when used with lithium, and these drugs are not recommended in the NICE guidelines. However, they may be used by people who have a long history of bipolar episodes and have used them successfully in the past. Antidepressants may be used to treat depressive episodes, but should be used with caution as they may cause manic episodes in some people. For more information about antipsychotics and antidepressants, see M
