The normothymic properties of some antiepileptic drugs (carbamazepine, valproic acid derivatives) have long been known. They may replace the traditionally prescribed lithium salts in a number of clinical situations, especially when lack of good patient co-operation does not provide reliable assessments of serum drug levels and in cases of poor tolerance and/or increased risk of poor tolerance (e.g. in elderly patients) to lithium treatment.
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