[Guidelines for the treatment of patients with borderline personality disorder]

The prevalence of patients with borderline personality disorder in outpatient psychiatric clinics, the severity of their presenting symptoms including potential mortality and the difficulty to treat these poorly collaborative healthseekers are sufficient arguments to justify the need for a practice guideline about their treatment. Supported by a strong experience in the creation of many practice guidelines, the American Psychiatric Association has produced a guide that answers quite well to the scientific criteria of a treatment guide and respects most of the specified requirements emitted by the Canadian Medical Association and the Advisory Committee to Public Health Services of the American Institute of Medicine. A review of the suggested recommendations on psychotherapeutic and pharmacological treatments and their scientific evidence is given followed by comments and a critical discussion.