Findings from Northwell Health Broaden Understanding of Bipolar Disorders (Case Series: Simultaneous Use of Long-Acting Injectable Antipsychotics and Vivitrol or Long-Acting Buprenorphine in Dual Diagnosis Patients with Bipolar Disorder and...).

This article focuses on a case series study evaluating the simultaneous use of long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotics with LAI naltrexone (Vivitrol) or buprenorphine (Sublocade) in patients with bipolar disorder and co-occurring substance use disorders. Conducted at an addiction psychiatry clinic in New Hyde Park, New York, the study involved three adults with bipolar I disorder and polysubstance use, who received combinations of paliperidone palmitate or aripiprazole lauroxil with Sublocade. All patients showed clinical improvement, with one achieving sustained remission and others demonstrating reduced opioid use, and no severe adverse effects were reported. The findings suggest this combined LAI therapy is feasible and potentially beneficial, especially for patients with poor medication adherence, though further controlled research is recommended to optimize treatment protocols. [Extracted from the article]