Litium som anti-suicidal behandling

Aproximatly 1-4 % of the world population suffers from bipolar disorder that is classified as one of the main causes of disability, but despite this no pathophysiological cause is known. A bipolar disorder is characterized by periods of depressive and manic episodes with classification as type-1 and type-2 depending on the main symptoms. Depressive episodes display as unipolar depression whilst manic episodes appear as reduced need of sleep, excessive selfesteem and rushed speech that in some cases is followed by psychosis. Unfortunately, bipolar disorder can be seen as connected to a higher rate of suicide at a 10-30 times higher risk in comparison to the general population and the treatment is failing to fulfill requirements. Lithium is frequently used as maintenance treatment but is linked to complicated side effects such as hypothyreosis and weight gain. The treatment can also result in positive secondary effects such as the alleged anti-suicidal effect. The aim of this study was to describe the anti-suicidal effects of lithium treatment in patients suffering from bipolar disorder and illustrate how different study methods affect the results. This study was based on clinical trials, register-based studies and one review-article where the Pubmed database was used to search for articles. The result was that three out of six studies could demonstrate anti-suicidal effects of lithium when compared to other treatments and placebo. These three studies were made on a bigger population and went on for many years. The conclusion is that the ability to show the anti-suicidal effects of lithium varied and so did the methods used in the studies. There was a trending aspect that showed great success of lithium regarding the anti-suicidal effects amongst studies that went on for many years and was based on a bigger population but in lack of power, this study can not attest to lithiums anti-suicidal effects.