Objective

To determine the prevalence of drug abuse in outpatients with diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder. 

Background

Epidemiologic studies show that patients with diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder frequently suffer comorbid substance use (Ostacher, Perlis and Nierenberg, 2010). The lifetime prevalence of any substance use disorder in patients with diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder type I is 52 percent, 37 percent for type 2 (Merikangas, Jin and He, 2011).
Drug abuse is a risk factor for worse prognosis and treatment abandonment.

Materials and methods

A sample of 84 outpatients with well-established diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder was analyzed. The sample appertains to patients with psychiatric follow-up in public Mental Health Centre in Spain. The comorbid drug abuse was inquired both clinical medical history and in interview.

Results

In 71 of the 84 outpatients drug abuse history was present. Results are shown separating drug abuse in the past or currently. 
At the present time drug consume, by substance, is as follows: 47,6 percent tobacco, 56 percent coffee and 48,2 percent alcohol.
In the past time, drug consume, by substance, was as follows: 19 percent cannabis, 8.3 percent cocaine, 7,1 percent hallucinogenic drugs and 5,1 percent others. 

Conclusions

Drug abuse is a frequent comorbid illness in patients with Bipolar Disorder. Our results prompt that psychiatric and psychological intervention could reduce drug abuse since during the follow-up decreases illegal drug abuse, although legal drugs are still in high use.

BIPOLAR DISORDER AND DRUG ABUSE: PREVALENCE IN AN AMBULATORY MENTAL HEALTH CENTRE SAMPLE