Bipolar disorders diagnosed in the elderly: Clinical and therapeutic particularities.

INTRODUCTION: Data on the differences between young and elderly patients with bipolar disorder and between elderly patients with early and late age of onset are limited. OBJECTIVES: to study the clinical differencies between bipolar patients with an onset in old age and other bipolar patients. METHODS: This is a retrospective study of 420 bipolar patients. In this study, patients with onset after age 60 (n=37) were compared to other patients with early-onset bipolar (EOB) (<>50 years; n=383). RESULTS: In the year before recruitment, older patients more frequently reported a rapid course of the illness, but fewer suicide attempts , more often a single psychotropic medication and had less severe manic and psychotic symptoms, atypical antipsychotics were administered less frequently. but no difference in depressive symptomatology was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Elderly bipolar patients differ from younger bipolar patients in course and treatment. Medication use and the occurrence of rapid cycling in elderly bipolar patients deserve careful investigation. DISCLOSURE OF INTEREST: None Declared