Which medication is listed as a bipolar disorder treatment?

• A. Lithium
• B. Atenolol
• C. Omeprazole
• D. Ketamine

Answer: (A)

Lithium acts as a mood stabilizer and has long been a primary medication used to treat bipolar disorder. It helps prevent both manic and depressive episodes and has been shown to reduce suicide risk in people with bipolar disorder, which makes it a staple in management across different phases of the illness.

A key reason it’s the best choice here is that the other medications serve different purposes: atenolol is a beta-blocker for blood pressure, omeprazole is a stomach acid reducer, and ketamine—while explored for rapid antidepressant effects in some contexts—does not form the standard, long-term mood-stabilizing treatment for bipolar disorder.

Lithium requires careful monitoring because of its narrow therapeutic window. Blood levels, kidney function, and thyroid function should be regularly checked, and patients need guidance on hydration and salt balance to avoid toxicity.