[Diagnosis and treatment of borderline personality disorder: a professionals' survey]

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a frequent mental disorder whose affected present high levels of stress and suffering. Diverse diagnostic criteria exist for this disorder.

The objective of our study was to establish which are the most sensitive symptoms to diagnose BPD at the present time together with the expectations and treatments of choice of mental health professionals of Buenos Aires city.

A voluntary auto survey was completed by 116 mental health professionals from private and public institutes of Buenos Aires city .

Impulsivity, affective instability and boredom or emptiness were the symptoms referred as the most important to make the diagnosis of BPD. More than half of the people polled reported that the DSM IV was useless to establish the diagnosis of this disorder. Individual psychoanalytic psychotherapy was chosen by the majority of the surveyed as the most important treatment for these patients. Mood stabilizers are the drugs of choice for the pharmacological treatment of impulsivity.

It is important to elaborate in our country diagnostic criteria and treatment guidelines that consider the knowledge and local experience with these patients.