Assessing and Treating Patients With Bipolar Disorder 1
NURS 6630: Psychopharmalogical Approaches to Treat Psychopathology
Assignment Wk.5- Assessing and Treating Patients With Bipolar Disorder
01/03/2021
Assessing and Treating Patients With Bipolar Disorder
, Assessing and Treating Patients With Bipolar Disorder 2
Bipolar disorder (BPD) is a mental health disorder that causes periodic shifts in mood
through episodes of dysthymia, depression, hypomania, and mania (Stern, Fava, Wilens, &
Rosenbaum, 2016). BPD is characterized by periods of depressed or elevated/irritable mood that
last for weeks to years. There are different types of BPD, which includes and not limited to;
Bipolar 1 disorder characterized by the presence of at least one acute manic episode that
lasts at least 7days,
Bipolar II disorder, characterized by hypomania and longer depressive episodes,
Cyclothymic disorder is defined by periods of hypomanic symptoms and periods of
depressive symptoms lasting for at least two years (1 year in children and adolescents).
Patients with BPD typically present with mood episodes that include periods of unusually
intense emotion, changes in sleep patterns and activity levels, and uncharacteristic behaviors,
often without recognizing their likely harmful or undesirable effects (National Institute of Mental
Health, 2020).
Treatment strategies for patients with BPD are divided into two stages; the Acute phase
focusing on minimizing or eliminating acute symptoms, and Maintenance phase focused on
preventing recurrence and maximization of function (Stern, Fava, Wilens, & Rosenbaum, 2016).
U.S Food & Drug Administration has approved several medications categorized to manage BPD.
This includes mood stabilizers that help in balancing certain brain chemicals to prevent mania,
hypomania, or depressive episodes and antipsychotic drugs, which have relatively newer drugs
called atypical antipsychotic drugs (US Food & Drug Administration, 2017).
The purpose of this paper is to analyze a decision tree of a 26-year-old female client of Korean
descent diagnosed with Bipolar I disorder. She presents to her first appointment following a 21-
day hospitalization of acute mania.
NURS 6630: Psychopharmalogical Approaches to Treat Psychopathology
Assignment Wk.5- Assessing and Treating Patients With Bipolar Disorder
01/03/2021
Assessing and Treating Patients With Bipolar Disorder
, Assessing and Treating Patients With Bipolar Disorder 2
Bipolar disorder (BPD) is a mental health disorder that causes periodic shifts in mood
through episodes of dysthymia, depression, hypomania, and mania (Stern, Fava, Wilens, &
Rosenbaum, 2016). BPD is characterized by periods of depressed or elevated/irritable mood that
last for weeks to years. There are different types of BPD, which includes and not limited to;
Bipolar 1 disorder characterized by the presence of at least one acute manic episode that
lasts at least 7days,
Bipolar II disorder, characterized by hypomania and longer depressive episodes,
Cyclothymic disorder is defined by periods of hypomanic symptoms and periods of
depressive symptoms lasting for at least two years (1 year in children and adolescents).
Patients with BPD typically present with mood episodes that include periods of unusually
intense emotion, changes in sleep patterns and activity levels, and uncharacteristic behaviors,
often without recognizing their likely harmful or undesirable effects (National Institute of Mental
Health, 2020).
Treatment strategies for patients with BPD are divided into two stages; the Acute phase
focusing on minimizing or eliminating acute symptoms, and Maintenance phase focused on
preventing recurrence and maximization of function (Stern, Fava, Wilens, & Rosenbaum, 2016).
U.S Food & Drug Administration has approved several medications categorized to manage BPD.
This includes mood stabilizers that help in balancing certain brain chemicals to prevent mania,
hypomania, or depressive episodes and antipsychotic drugs, which have relatively newer drugs
called atypical antipsychotic drugs (US Food & Drug Administration, 2017).
The purpose of this paper is to analyze a decision tree of a 26-year-old female client of Korean
descent diagnosed with Bipolar I disorder. She presents to her first appointment following a 21-
day hospitalization of acute mania.
