Definitive Treatment of Patients With Serious Mental Disorders in an Emergency Service, Part II

This article describes definitive treatment in the psychiatric emergency service of suicidal patients and patients with bipolar disorder. The authors say the traditional strategy of stabilizing the patient without considering the patient’s needs after discharge is flawed. Lithium, valproate, and carbamazepine can all be safely initiated in the psychiatric emergency service, if aftercare services are available for the patient, immediately after discharge.