- New report highlights heightened risk
of suicide among patients with Bipolar I disorder
- Bipolar disorders cost up to €139
billion annually in the US1
A new report launched today, ‘Paying the ultimate price’,
highlights the urgent need for accurate diagnosis and management of
bipolar I disorder in order to address a significant burden on
society, patients and carers.1,2,3,4 Due to lack of understanding
of a severe form of bipolar I disorder (mania with depressive
symptoms), millions of people worldwide are not receiving timely
and accurate diagnosis leaving them at a heightened risk of
suicide, according to world-leading experts.5
This Smart News Release features multimedia.
View the full release here:
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150830005004/en/
In recent years, bipolar I disorder has been re-defined through
recognition that manic and depressive symptoms can occur
concurrently; these feelings of depression during mania occur in
over two thirds of patients and represents a severe form of bipolar
I disorder.6 Patients are at their most vulnerable at this time,
with up to one out of two sufferers attempting suicide during these
episodes.3 They are also approximately three times more likely to
be hospitalised than bipolar patients without mixed symptoms,7 and
the duration of these hospital stays are on average 40 per cent
longer.8 Aside from the impact this has on friends, family and
society, the financial burden of suicide attempts and
hospitilisations are also significant.9,10
Professor Michael Berk, Professor of Psychiatry, School of
Medicine, Deakin University, Australia, comments: “Typically we
see greater morbidity, younger age of onset, more episodes and
shorter intervals between episodes amongst bipolar I disorder
patients experiencing mania with depressive symptoms. These
patients are more likely to attempt suicide than during a purely
manic episode and have a higher number and longer duration
of hospitalisations.”
Professor Eduard Vieta, Director of the Bipolar Disorders
Program of the Hospital Clinic at the University of Barcelona,
Spain, comments: “It is important to ensure that patients
experiencing mania with depressive symptoms are diagnosed quickly
and accurately. We now understand that almost three quarters (72%)
of patients experiencing mania with depressive symptoms report
symptoms of anxiety, irritability or agitation. Simple
recognition of these hallmarks can enable healthcare professionals
to intervene and treat patients, reducing hospitalisations often
costing healthcare economies billions of euros and
potentially saving thousands of lives worldwide.”
The direct costs, such as caring for patients who have attempted
suicide, are estimated at €6.45 billion a year in the US alone.11
Evidence reveals that 45 per cent of direct costs associated with
suicide are attributable to hospitalisation,12 costing
approximately €23,000 within the first year after a suicide attempt
in the US.3 The indirect costs associated with bipolar I disorder
also have a huge impact on society, patients and carers. Evidence
has shown that over one sixth (16.5%) of indirect costs are
incurred by lost productivity of family members and caregivers in
the US;13 and it is estimated that the indirect costs are 4 times
higher than the direct costs.14
Mr Paul Arteel, Executive Director of Global Alliance of Mental
Illness Advocacy Networks (GAMIAN) Europe comments: “Bipolar I
disorder, in particular mania with depressive symptoms, has a
severe effect on those living with the condition. It not only has a
significant impact on the patient’s life, but has a drastic effect
on their family and friends – who are often also their ‘carers’. We
find that family and friends close to bipolar I disorder patients
can live in constant fear that suicide could take the lives of
their loved ones.”
Despite the significant financial burden and increased risk of
suicide among this patient community, 72 per cent of psychiatrists
are unaware that up to 64 per cent of people diagnosed with bipolar
I disorder experience at least one depressive symptom during an
episode of mania.15 This lack of recognition could lead to the
misdiagnosis of vulnerable people with bipolar I disorder, putting
them at greater risk of suicidality and placing a devastating
burden on families and carers.
Professor Maurizio Pompili, Professor of Suicidology, Faculty of
Medicine and Psychology of Sapienza University, Italy, who
contributed to the report, said: "Suicide prevention among
bipolar I patients could be improved through greater education and
understanding of depressive symptoms during mania. Psychiatrists
are too often afraid to broach the topic of suicidality with their
patients, as they are fearful they may seed such an idea. This is
sadly the opposite of what patients need; a combination of
intervention and human support is vital. It is important that
psychiatrists ask and understand why patients either want to
attempt suicide or have attempted suicide; how can patients move
forward when they haven’t understood why it happened in the first
place?”
The ‘Paying the ultimate price’ report has been developed by a
global faculty of expert psychiatrists, a suicidologist, patient
group representatives and carers affected by bipolar I disorder in
collaboration with H. Lundbeck A/S. It calls for an improvement in
diagnosis and management of mania with depressive symptoms, as well
as greater support around the associated risk of suicide. The full
report can be dowloaded here.
*In the first year following a suicide attempt in the US
---Ends---
For more information please visit www.bipolarmania.net and
connect with us on twitter @Spotlight_BP and on Instagram
@SPOTLIGHTBIPOLAR.
Notes to editors
About the ‘Paying the ultimate price’ report
H. Lundbeck A/S, in collaboration with the global MANIA64
faculty, a suicidologist and patient advocacy groups developed the
report to highlight the huge burden on society associated with
bipolar I disorder and mania with depressive symptoms, and call for
heightened awareness and education around this debilitating
disorder. It highlights the very high monetary cost of caring for
people with bipolar disorder; in Europe this can exceed €21.5
billion,2 whilst in the US figures are approximately €139 billion
per annum.1
A meeting was hosted by H. Lundbeck A/S in March 2015 with the
MANIA64 faculty, to gain their advice and insights regarding the
content of the report. In addition, H. Lundbeck A/S conducted a
literature review to investigate the costs and the impact of
suicidality associated with bipolar I disorder and mania with
depressive symptoms.
Evidence has also shown that the indirect costs of bipolar
disorders are known to be four times greater than direct
costs, placing a significant burden on healthcare systems and
society.14,16,17 This report calls for an improvement in diagnosis
and management of mania with depressive symptoms as well as greater
support around the associated risk of suicide.
A group of global psychiatrist experts, known as the MANIA64
faculty, developed the report:
- Lead author: Professor Eduard Vieta
– Spain
- Professor Allan Young – UK
- Professor Roger McIntyre – Canada
- Professor Andrea Fagiolini – Italy
- Professor Olavo Pinto – Brazil
- Professor Michael Berk – Australia
- Doctor Umberto Albert – Italy
- Doctor Jose M Goikolea – Spain
The report was also developed with the support of:
- Professor Maurizio Pompili, Italy
- Global Alliance of Mental Illness
Advocacy Networks Europe: patient advocacy group
- A number of carers affected by bipolar
I disorder
The campaign is supported by H. Lundbeck A/S.
About Bipolar I disorder and mania with depressive
symptoms
Bipolar I disorder is one of the most common and debilitating
psychiatric disorders and is associated with an increased risk of
suicide.18 It is a chronic illness characterised by episodes of
mania and depression.19
People diagnosed with bipolar I disorder display some or all of
manic and depressive symptoms, such as: feeling high or overly
happy, extreme irritability and agitation, adopting high-risk
behaviours, overly long periods of feeling sad or hopeless,
problems concentrating, experiencing anxiety, thinking of death or
suicide, or attempting suicide.19
During episodes of mania, depressive symptoms often occur
concurrently, with intervening periods of ‘remission’, which are
relatively (but not fully) symptom-free.5 Mania with depressive
symptoms represents a severe form of bipolar I disorder.6 According
to the DSM-5 criteria, a person experiencing three or more
depressive symptoms during an episode of mania is suffering from
mania with depressive symptoms; this is reported in 39 per cent of
patients.6
Most people (64 per cent) diagnosed with bipolar I
disorder will suffer from at least one concurrent depressive
symptom during an episode of mania.6
Bipolar disorder is thought to affect up to 2 per cent of
Europeans at some point in their life, of which approximately half
will develop bipolar I disorder.20,21 The lifetime risk of suicidal
behaviours amongst bipolar patients is estimated to be up to 54 per
cent.9
About MANIA64
MANIA64 is a disease awareness campaign that aims to raise
awareness of mania with depressive symptoms in people diagnosed
with bipolar I disorder and prompt timely diagnosis and greater
recognition of diagnostic indicators, anxiety and irritability and
agitation.
About H. Lundbeck A/S
H.Lundbeck A/S (LUN.CO, LUN DC, HLUYY) is a global
pharmaceutical company specialized in brain diseases. For more than
70 years, we have been at the forefront of research within
neuroscience.
Our key areas of focus are alcoholic dependence, Alzheimer’s
disease, bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, epilepsy,
Huntington’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, schizophrenia and
symptomatic neurogenic orthostatic hypotension (NOH).
An estimated 700 million people worldwide are living with brain
disease and far too many suffer due to inadequate treatment,
discrimination, a reduced number of working days, early retirement
and other unnecessary consequences. Every day, we strive for
improved treatment and a better life for people living with brain
disease – we call this Progress in Mind.
For additional information, we encourage you to visit our
corporate site www.lundbeck.com and connect with us on Twitter at
@Lundbeck.
References
1 Dilsaver SC. J Affect Disord. 2011;129:79–83.
2 Olesen J, et al. Eur J Neurol. 2012;19:155–162.
3 Bonnin CM, et al. J Affect Disord. 2012;136(3):650-9.
4 National Depressive and Manic-Depressive Association. Living
with Bipolar Disorder: How Far Have We Really Come? Constituency
Survey. Available at: http://tinyurl.com/q3jy76w. Last accessed May
2015.
5 Jann MW. Am Health Drug Benefits. 2014;7(9):489-499.
6 Vieta E, et al. J Affect Disord. 2014;156:206–213.
7 Ostergaard SD, Bertelsen A, Nielsen J, Mors O, Petrides G. The
association between psychotic mania, psychotic depression and mixed
affective episodes among 14,529 patients with bipolar disorder. J
Affect Disord 2013; 147: 44–50.
8 Ösby U et al. J Affect Disord. 2009;115:315-322
9 Young AH, Eberhard J. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat.
2015;11:1137-1143.
10 Shim IH, et al. Psychiatry Res. 2014;215:335–340.
11 Hirschfeld R. Am J Manag Care. 2005;S85-90.
12 Mapelli, V, et al. PharmacoEconomics Italian Research
Articles. 2005;7(2):101-118.
13 Wyatt RJ, Henter I. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol.
1995;30:213–219.
14 Valenti, et al. Bipolar Disord. 2011;13:145–154.
15 H. Lundbeck A/S, survey of psychiatrists, April 2015
16 Miller S, et al. J Affect Disord. 2014; 169 (Suppl 1):
S3–S11.
17 Baldessarini RJ, et al. CNS Spectr. 2006;11:465–471.
18 Gao K et al. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2013;9:1145-1157
19 Bipolar Disorder in Adults. NIMH. http://tiny.cc/_NIMH (last
accessed 07.05.15)
20 Merikangas KR et al. Arch Gen Psychiatry.
2011;68(3):241-251
21 Pini S et al. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol.
2005;15(4):425-434
View source
version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150830005004/en/
Reynolds-MacKenzie:Nikki
MalnickOffice: 020 7861 2810Email:
nmalnick@reynoldsmackenzie.comLundbeck:Charline CoquerelOffice: 0045 3630
1311Email: COAR@Lundbeck.com