Pharmacotherapy of bipolar disorder in old age: review and recommendations.

The authors reviewed the evidence-base for pharmacological treatment of mania and bipolar (BP) depression in late life. Treatment benefits and side effects may be modified by age-associated factors, such as neurocognitive impairments. Lithium and divalproex have most often been studied in elderly patients, and both may be efficacious in acute treatment of mania, but there are no controlled efficacy or effectiveness trials. The role of atypical antipsychotic agents remains to be clarified. Similarly, there are no systematic studies of the treatment of BP depression in elderly patients. The authors make suggestions for management and delineate priorities for research.