Which medication among the following is commonly used as a mood stabilizer in bipolar disorder?

Which medication among the following is commonly used as a mood stabilizer in bipolar disorder?

• A. Lamotrigine
• B. Fluoxetine
• C. Haloperidol
• D. Quetiapine

Answer: (A)

Stabilizing mood in bipolar disorder means preventing relapses and keeping mood around a steady state over the long term, with particular attention to preventing depressive episodes. Lamotrigine fits this role well because it is widely used for maintenance therapy and is particularly effective at preventing depressive recurrences. It helps sustain euthymia over time, which is a central goal of bipolar management. However, it isn’t typically the choice for acutely treating a manic episode; its strength lies in long-term stabilization and prevention. A antidepressant like fluoxetine acts on mood differently and can risk triggering mania when used alone in bipolar disorder, so it’s not a mood stabilizer. Haloperidol is an antipsychotic used mainly for acute agitation or psychosis in mania, not for maintenance mood stabilization. Quetiapine is an antipsychotic with mood-stabilizing effects and is used in bipolar to treat both mania and depression, but lamotrigine is especially emphasized for ongoing depressive stabilization and maintenance, which is why it is commonly chosen as a mood stabilizer in this context. Remember to titrate lamotrigine slowly to minimize the risk of a serious rash, including Stevens-Johnson syndrome, especially when starting or increasing the dose.

Stabilizing mood in bipolar disorder means preventing relapses and keeping mood around a steady state over the long term, with particular attention to preventing depressive episodes.

Lamotrigine fits this role well because it is widely used for maintenance therapy and is particularly effective at preventing depressive recurrences. It helps sustain euthymia over time, which is a central goal of bipolar management. However, it isn’t typically the choice for acutely treating a manic episode; its strength lies in long-term stabilization and prevention.

A antidepressant like fluoxetine acts on mood differently and can risk triggering mania when used alone in bipolar disorder, so it’s not a mood stabilizer. Haloperidol is an antipsychotic used mainly for acute agitation or psychosis in mania, not for maintenance mood stabilization. Quetiapine is an antipsychotic with mood-stabilizing effects and is used in bipolar to treat both mania and depression, but lamotrigine is especially emphasized for ongoing depressive stabilization and maintenance, which is why it is commonly chosen as a mood stabilizer in this context.

Remember to titrate lamotrigine slowly to minimize the risk of a serious rash, including Stevens-Johnson syndrome, especially when starting or increasing the dose.