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Length of Lithium Treatment Needed to Eliminate the High Mortality of Affective Disorders

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 August 2018

B. Ahrens ,
B. Müller-Oerlinghausen  and
P. Grof
B. Ahrens*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Free University of Berlin, and Visiting Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Ottawa, Royal Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
B. Müller-Oerlinghausen
Affiliation:
Clinical Psychopharmacology, Department of Psychiatry, Free University of Berlin
P. Grof
Affiliation:
Affective Disorders Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of Ottawa, Royal Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
*
∗Department of Psychiatry, Free University of Berlin, Eschenallee 3, D-14050 Berlin, Germany
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Abstract

Recent studies have indicated that long-term lithium treatment reduces the expected suicidal activity and overall mortality of patients with affective disorders. Based on the data from the lithium clinics in Berlin and Hamilton (n = 512), a minimum length of two years of continued lithium treatment is needed to reduce the high mortality resulting from affective disorders.

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 163 , Issue S21: Prediction in Psychopharmacology , September 1993 , pp. 27 - 29
Copyright
Copyright © 1993 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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