Verapamil and lithium in maintenance therapy of manic patients.

A year-long double-blind cross-over study was used to compare the long-term therapeutic effects of lithium versus verapamil in a group of 20 manic volunteers. Subjects received each medication for six months. Before cross-over, verapamil patients showed a significant improvement after 60 days, lithium-treated patients after 180 days. After cross-over, verapamil-treated subjects showed improvement at day 240. Lithium-treated patients showed no improvement after cross-over. The data indicate that verapamil may be effective as an agent in the maintenance treatment of manic patients.