Air date: November 15, 2009

Host: Steve Bogdewic, PhD

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Interview: Trisha Suppes, MD, PhD, professor of psychiatry and behavioral science at Stanford University

A study in a recent Journal of the American Medical Association warned psychiatrists that children and teens who take medications for conditions such as bipolar disorder and autism tend to put on a substantial, and worrisome, amount of weight.

That weight gain can put young people at risk for chronic health problems as adults, including diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

That study will no doubt have an effect on treatment decisions by mental health professionals, who need to balance a patient’s mental illness with physical risks.

The American Psychological Association (APA) has recently released new guidelines for treating bipolar disease.

One of the experts who drafted the new APA recommendations is Dr. Trisha Suppes. She speaks with Sound Medicine’s Dr. Steve Bogdewic. She discusses recent research and advances in treating bipolar disorder.

Additional Resources:

• Read up on weight-gain associated with medications used for treating bipolar disorders8, including depression.
• Get details on the APA guidelines for treating biopolar disorder at the American Psychiatric Association.
• The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance provides patient support groups and information about these two conditions.

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