An overview of primary care assessment and management of bipolar disorder.

Because patients with major psychiatric illnesses increasingly are treated first--and sometimes exclusively--by primary care physicians, improved diagnostic skills and knowledge of treatment options are essential to improved patient outcomes and quality of life. This article reviews the incidence of bipolar disorder and burdens associated with misdiagnosis of the illness. It also emphasizes the evaluation and recognition of bipolar disorders to assist physicians in making accurate diagnoses, as well as reviewing the pharmacologic options used in treatment.