Bipolar disorders are disabling illnesses with elevated lethality due to suicide. Risk factors can help to identify patients at increased suicidal risk, but ongoing clinical assessment is needed to limit risk. Short-term interventions to manage acute suicidal risk include close clinical supervision, rapid hospitalization, & electroconvulsive therapy. However, evidence of the long-term effectiveness against suicidal behaviour is rare. Applying available knowledge with close & sustained clinical supervision can enhance management of suicidal risk in bipolar disorder patients. (70 refs)