Acute mania

Acute manic episode: elevated or irritable mood, accelerated thinking, reduced need for sleep, and increased activity within bipolar disorder. Requires prompt initiation of antimanic treatment.

ICD-10 F301 drug

Also known as: Manic episode, Acute manic episode

Drugs used for this condition

ALithiumFirst line · Psycholeptics. LithiumFor acute mania, lithium is effective as monotherapy or combined with antipsychotics. 2019 Cochrane review (McKnight) confirmed efficacy with NNT approximately 6 for clinical response. Onset is 5–7 days, so combination with a rapid-acting antipsychotic or benzodiazepine is common in the acute phase.

How to read tiers A–F

Evidence tiers belong to the drug-indication pair, not to the drug as a whole: the same substance can be A for one condition and F for another.

AStrong evidence – first or second line in international guidelines
BRecommended in selected cases
CStudy data contradict each other
DBenefit not proven, no documented harm
FDocumented harm, or risk without benefit