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Lithium in Prophylaxis and Maintenance of Affective Disorders

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Guidelines for the Use of Psychotropic Drugs

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Abstract

Long-term lithium treatment effectively prevents manic and depressive relapses in many patients with affective disorders. Recent comprehensive reviews have summarized the evidence for efficacy in bipolar (Schou, 1979a) as well as in unipolar patients (Schou, 1979b). However, lithium treatment is not effective in all patients with affective disorders and the treatment is not without inconveniences and at times even hazards. It is therefore important both to search for valid treatment alternatives to lithium and, if lithium treatment is indicated, to administer the treatment in the most effective way, possibly in connection with other treatment modalities.

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Authors
  1. Per Vestergaard
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Clarke Institute of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Canada

    Harvey C. Stancer Ph.D., M.D., F.R.C.P.(C)  & Vivian M. Rakoff M.A., M.B., F.R.C.P.(C)  & 

  2. Toronto General Hospital, University of Toronto, Canada

    Paul E. Garfinkel M.S., M.D., F.R.C.P.(C)

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© 1984 Spectrum Publications, Inc.

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Vestergaard, P. (1984). Lithium in Prophylaxis and Maintenance of Affective Disorders. In: Stancer, H.C., Garfinkel, P.E., Rakoff, V.M. (eds) Guidelines for the Use of Psychotropic Drugs. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-7618-7_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-7618-7_6

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-011-7620-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-011-7618-7

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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