Substance Misuse
The Epidemiological Catchment Area study in the USA showed a 60% lifetime risk of substance misuse in Bipolar patients
Physical illnesses
Significantly increased risk of heart disease, diabetes and hypothyroidism
Suicide
Lifetime risk of suicide is 10-15%
- Part of this increased risk is due to the frequent presence of co-morbid factors, such as Substance misuse or Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder
Isometsa's study of 1400 suicides in Finlandshowed that most, but not all, suicides inBipolar Disorder occurred during adepressive episode (Isometsa et al. Suicide in Bipolar Disorder in Finland. American J Psychiatry (151) 1994)