Off-label LAI antipsychotics effective for treating bipolar disorder in teens

Abstract

Treating adolescents with long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotics which are approved for adults is an effective solution to nonadherence to oral medications, researchers have found. Oral antipsychotics are approved for mania, but adherence is often poor for various reasons, including aversion to side effects, cognitive dysfunction, impulsivity, anosognosia, and substance use. For adolescents with bipolar mania or schizoaffective disorder, the conditions these medications are approved for in adults, the LAI antipsychotics show that bipolar mania in adolescents is effectively treated based on Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) assessments.