Pharmacological treatment of borderline personality disorders. Several options for symptom reduction but nothing for the disorder per se
Abstract
There are few guidelines for pharmacological treatment of personality disorders. Some possible explanations for this is discussed: methodological problems, comorbidity and treatment traditions. The few controlled studies published are marred by methodological difficulties such as high frequency of drop outs, lack of compliance, short period of follow-up and differences in diagnostic procedures. The authors propose a dimensional approach focusing on cognitive, affective, anxiety and impulse dysfunction when selecting suitable pharmacological treatment. Global improvement can be seen, when target symptoms are successfully treated. Pharmacological treatment can not replace other treatment strategies such as psychosocial programs. The authors also discuss how pharmacological treatment can be understood in a psychological context. Non-selective MAO-inhibitors are probably underused in Sweden.
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