All About Bipolar

Posted By atorturedsoul on November 2, 2009

Smoking and bipolar disorder

Smoking has been associated with suicidality in bipolar disorder. A recent study suggests that patients who smoke cigarettes may have a higher risk of suicidal behavior.

In this study, current cigarette smoking was a predictor of current and nine-month suicidal ideation and behavior in bipolar disorder, and it is likely that impulsivity accounts for some of this relationship.

http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/122650609/abstract

People with bipolar disorder are four times more likely to have a nicotine dependence than someone who does not have the illness. Although the study suggests that the risk of suicide increases for smokers, researchers do not know why.

Michael Ostacher (Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts), Richard T. LeBeau, Roy H. Perlis, Andrew A Nierenberg, Hannah G. Lund, Samantha J. Moshier, Gary S. Sachs and Naomi M. Simon studied 116 patients with bipolar disorder over a 9 month period.

27% of patients were smokers. These patients had higher rates of substance abuse (61% versus 33%). Patients were also younger, with an average age of 37 years, and developed bipolar disorder earlier in life than non-smokers.

Smokers had a higher baseline Suicide Behaviors Questionnaire (SBQ) score at the end of the nine month study. Results were adjusted for impulsivity using the Barrat Impulsiveness Scale and the association was not significant after these adjustments were made. This suggests that a higher risk of suicide may also be caused by impulsivity.

Eight (7%) patients attempted suicide between baseline and 9-month follow-up, with smokers 5.25 times more likely to attempt suicide than nonsmokers.

Researchers concluded:

In this study, current cigarette smoking was a predictor of current and nine-month suicidal ideation and behavior in bipolar disorder, and it is likely that impulsivity accounts for some of this relationship.

Source: Wiley InterScience

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Categories: About Bipolar Disorder, Bipolar 1, Bipolar 2, Cyclothymia, NOS
Tags: about, all, bipolar, disorder, impulsivity, increased, nicotine, research, risk, smokers, smoking, study, substance abuse, suicidality, suicide