US Guidelines For Psychiatric Care, And Drugs Use

The American Psychiatric Association has issued the first guidelines to help psychiatrists with manic-depressive patients. It took two years to develop the guidelines, which call for long-term psychiatric care and use of some drugs.

While the guidelines state that there is no cure for the disease, the APA noted that up to 80% of patients with the illness will see significant improvement with appropriate treatment. Among the APA's recommendations are that:

- lithium helps 80% of patients by preventing manic-depressive episodes and calming mood instability;