Mental disorders, including bipolar disorder, are a leading cause of premature mortality, partly driven by suicide.1,3 Suicide attempts are common in people with bipolar disorder, which makes suicide assessment an important part of the clinical assessment of patients.3 Prevention of suicide is a complicated ongoing clinical goal, involving patient and caregiver education to help identify warning signs, and to reinforce the importance of medication adherence.3
References:
1. Plana-Ripoll O, Pedersen CB, Agerbo E, et al. A comprehensive analysis of mortality-related health metrics associated with mental disorders: a nationwide, register-based cohort study. Lancet 2019; 394 (10211): 1827–1835.
2. Angst F, Stassen HH, Clayton PJ, Angst J. Mortality of patients with mood disorders: follow-up over 34–38 years. J Affect Disord 2002; 68 (2–3): 167–181.
3. Dome P, Rihmer Z, Gonda X. Suicide risk in bipolar disorder: a brief review. Medicina (Kaunas) 2019 Jul; 55 (8): 403.
4. Angst J, Hengartner MP, Gamma A, et al. Mortality of 403 patients with mood disorders 48 to 52 years after their psychiatric hospitalisation. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2013; 263 (5): 425–434.