Pharmacotherapy of Treatment-Resistant Mania

Summary

Verapamil has been found in some but not all studies to have antimanic activity. Therefore, we investigated the use of verapamil, alone or as an adjunctive treatment, in manic patients who did not respond to an initial adequate trial of lithium. Each study phase lasted three weeks. Subjects were treated openly with lithium in Phase 1 (n=45). Those who failed to respond were randomly assigned to double-blind treatment in Phase 2 with either verapamil (n=10) or continued lithium (n=8). Phase 2 responders were continued on the same medication in Phase 3. Phase 2 nonresponders (n=10) were assigned to combined verapamil/lithium in Phase 3.

Timeline

Start

1994-11

Primary completion

—

Completion

1999-06

Publications

• Background Frank E, Kupfer DJ, Gerebtzoff A, Meya U, Laghrissi-Thode F, Grochocinski VJ, Houck PR, Mallinger AG, Gibbons RD. The development of study exit criteria for evaluating antimanic compounds. J Clin Psychiatry. 2001 Jun;62(6):421-5. doi: 10.4088/jcp.v62n0604.
• Results Mallinger AG, Thase ME, Haskett R, Buttenfield J, Luckenbaugh DA, Frank E, Kupfer DJ, Manji HK. Verapamil augmentation of lithium treatment improves outcome in mania unresponsive to lithium alone: preliminary findings and a discussion of therapeutic mechanisms. Bipolar Disord. 2008 Dec;10(8):856-66. doi: 10.1111/j.1399-5618.2008.00636.x.

Drugs

Indications