Of the different phases of bipolar disorder, bipolar depression is more prevailing and is more difficult
to treat. However, there is a deficit in systemic research on the pharmacological treatment of
acute bipolar depression. Therefore, consensuses on the pharmacological treatment strategies
of acute bipolar depression has yet to be made. Currently, there are only three drugs approved
by the Food and Drug Administration for acute bipolar depression : quetiapine, olanzapine-fluoxetine
complex, and lurasidone. In clinical practice, other drugs such as mood stabilizers (lamotrigine,
lithium, valproate) and/or the other atypical antipsychotics (aripiprazole, risperidone,
ziprasidone) are frequently prescribed. There remains controversy on the use of antidepressants
in bipolar depression. Here, we summarized the evidence of current pharmacological treatment
options and reviewed treatment guidelines of acute bipolar depression from recently published
studies.