Bipolar II Disorder in a Primary Care Setting: Clinical Vignette.

Bipolar II disorders may be common in primary care settings, but most cases remain undiagnosed because hypomania is often difficult to recognize. Eliciting a history of recurrent periods of expanded mood interspersed with periods of major depression is important, since antidepressant monotherapy is often unproductive or even counterproductive. Once the diagnosis is made, appropriate medications to alleviate hypomanic episodes and depression should be initiated.