Olanzapine/fluoxetine combination for bipolar depression and other mood disorders: a review.
Author(s): Owen RT
Affiliation(s): Medical Information Department, Prous Science, Barcelona, Spain. journals@prous.com
Publication date & source: 2006-03, Drugs Today (Barc)., 42(3):185-92.
Publication type: Review
Patients with bipolar disorder tend to experience most of their illness in the depressed phase. Existing antidepressant therapies are effective in bipolar depression but carry a risk of treatment-emergent mania or increased phase cycling. Other therapies such as lithium may not be particularly effective, or may not currently be licensed for the acute phase, such as lamotrigine. A combination of the antipsychotic olanzapine and the serotonin reuptake inhibitor fluoxetine has been investigated in both bipolar depression and other affective disorders such as psychotic depression and treatment-refractory depression. The combination's possible mode of action, pharmacokinetics, drug interactions, clinical efficacy and safety and tolerability have been reviewed. Copyright 2006 Prous Science.
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