[Drug therapy of acute manias. A retrospective data analysis of inpatients from 1997 to 1999].

The aim of the present retrospective chart analysis was to compare published treatment algorithms with the treatment patterns of 90 consecutive inpatients suffering from acute mania or hypomania at the Department of General Psychiatry, University of Vienna, from 1997 to 1999. Treatment strategies during the first 14 days and on discharge as well as sociodemographic and illness related data were evaluated. The results of our study reflect that international guidelines were not included in daily practice from 1997 to 1999 with regard to the usage pattern of atypical antipsychotics versus typical neuroleptics. Also, recommendations have not been taken into account about monotherapy with a mood stabilizer as first-line treatment for acute mania (polypharmacia was the predominant treatment scheme) and the advice to taper off benzodiazepines (at discharge).