A 40-year-old man is brought to the emergency department by police officers due to inappropriate public behavior. He was at a pharmacy demanding to speak with the manager so he could discuss a business deal. Two weeks ago, he left his wife of 10 years and moved from another city in order to pursue his dreams of being an entrepreneur. He has not slept for more than 3-4 hours a night in the last 2 weeks. Mental status examination shows accelerated speech with flight of ideas. The patient has had 2 previous depressive episodes. Which of the following medications is the most appropriate agent for long-term management of this patient?

Question

A 40-year-old man is brought to the emergency department by police officers due to inappropriate public behavior. He was at a pharmacy demanding to speak with the manager so he could discuss a business deal. Two weeks ago, he left his wife of 10 years and moved from another city in order to pursue his dreams of being an entrepreneur. He has not slept for more than 3-4 hours a night in the last 2 weeks. Mental status examination shows accelerated speech with flight of ideas. The patient has had 2 previous depressive episodes.  Which of the following medications is the most appropriate agent for long-term management of this patient?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Eductional Objective: The anticonvulsant valproate has mood-stabilizing properties and is an effective maintenance treatment for bipolar disorder.  Other maintenance options for bipolar disorder include lithium, lamotrigine, and quetiapine.

A 40-Year-Old Man Is Brought to the Emergency Department by Police