According to the authors of this review, “Bipolar disorder is associated with high mortality, and people with this disorder on average may die 10-20 years earlier than the general population. This excess and premature mortality continues to occur despite a large and expanding selection of treatment options dating back to lithium and now including anticonvulsants, antipsychotics, and evidence-based psychotherapies. This review summarizes recent findings on mortality in bipolar disorder, with an emphasis on the role of suicide (accounting for about 15 % of deaths in this population) and cardiovascular disease (accounting for about 35-40 % of deaths). Recent care models and treatments incorporating active outreach, integrated mental and physical health care, and an emphasis on patient self-management have shown promise in reducing excess mortality in this population.”
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Miller C and Bauer MS: Excess mortality in bipolar disorders. Curr. Psychiatry Rep. 16(11): 499 (2014); doi: 10.1007/s11920-014-0499-z.
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http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25194314