Psychopharmacology and mental health
Chambers Mary in Psychiatric and mental health nursing, 2017
Lithium is a salt (carbonate or citrate) which is almost completely removed from the body unchanged via the kidneys. If the dose is doubled, the blood serum level will double. The blood level range between therapeutic and toxic effect is small; hence there is a need for close blood monitoring. Patients should be empowered to reduce the likelihood of harm from their medicines by ensuring they know the importance of their physical health checks (using a patient help record paper or an appropriate app), and know the toxic effects, side effects and interactions related to their medicines.12
Bipolar Disorder
Charles Theisler in Adjuvant Medical Care, 2023
Lithium: Lithium orotate, a low-dose source of lithium, is often prescribed for bipolar disorder. Approximately 3.83 mg of elemental lithium is obtained from 100 mg of organic lithium orotate. Lithium orotate can be used in low doses (e.g., 5 mg) with good results and no side effects.9,10 Clinical trials involving 150 mg/day doses of lithium orotate administered 4–5 times a week showed a reduction of manic and depressive symptoms in bipolar patients.10 Lithium orotate is also used as maintenance therapy for patients with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder.11
Case 75: Marked tremor, getting worse
Barry Wright, Subodh Dave, Nisha Dogra in 100 Cases in Psychiatry, 2017
What is the differential diagnosis?What are the signs of lithium toxicity?How should lithium toxicity be managed?How can the potential for lithium toxicity be minimized?
Facts and ideas from anywhere
Published in Baylor University Medical Center Proceedings, 2020
Walter A. Brown, a psychiatrist, recently produced a book entitled Lithium on a medication that today is known to be effective in patients with manic depressive illnesses (now commonly known as bipolar disorder).1 Just as Coca-Cola initially contained cocaine, the recipe for 7-Up once included lithium. Coca-Cola was a stimulant drink, and 7-Up was promoted in the early 20th century as a calming tonic. Lithium, a silvery-white metallic element, is abundant in natural sources, including rocks and seawater. It was discovered in its pure form in 1817. By the time of the lithium health craze, lithium had established industrial uses in ceramics, glassmaking, and lubricants. Its electroconductive properties have since made it an important component of batteries and cell phones.
Relationship between Lithium Levels in Drinking Water and Suicide Rates: A Nationwide Study in Lithuania
Published in Archives of Suicide Research, 2021
Vilma Liaugaudaite, Rima Naginiene, Nijole Raskauskiene, Narseta Mickuviene, Adomas Bunevicius, Leo Sher
Lithium is a natural trace element that is mobilized by rain from rock and soil and dissolves in the drinking water. Lithium concentration in the natural waters varies and depends on geological, geographic and hydrogeological variables (Lenntech, 2007). In some geographic regions, such as the Andes of Northern Argentina, its concentration may reach up to 5.2mg/L, resulting in daily intake of lithium of up to 10mg/day (Concha et al., 2010; Schrauzer, 2002). This is relatively high in comparison to the highest level of 1.3mg/L of lithium measured in Austria (Kapusta et al., 2011). It has been suggested that environmental exposure to low levels of lithium is associated with greater suicide, homicide, criminality, dementia, and ischemic heart disease rates and with greater all-cause mortality (Brown, Gerretsen, Pollock, & Graff-Guerrero, 2018). Such daily doses of lithium are considerably lower than those used therapeutically. It is unknown to what extent intake of natural lithium may influence mental health or suicide mortality.
Comparison of immediate and sustained release formulations of lithium salts
Published in International Review of Psychiatry, 2022
Maurizio Pompili, Carlo Magistri, Cristiano Mellini, Giuseppe Sarli, Ross J. Baldessarini
We found surprisingly few clinical studies (n = 11) of direct comparisons of IR and SR formulations of lithium salts based on a systematic literature search (Table 1). Moreover, the quality of most studies was not sufficient to support firm conclusions. Of the 11 included studies, only five were prospective and one had an open crossover design, and most of the available data were derived from studies lacking a blinded control condition. No identified study provided quantitative comparison of clinical benefits of dissimilar preparations of lithium salts. All involved moderate doses and relatively low serum concentrations of lithium. Although doses, dosing/day, and exposure times were not consistently matched within-studies, the overall comparison of doses adjusted for differences in MW of various salt forms indicated a nonsignificant mean difference in daily mEq doses of lithium. Also, mean serum concentrations of lithium did not differ significantly between IR and SR preparations. Moreover, serum levels and doses, reassuringly, were strongly correlated.
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