Lithium is a mood stabilizer and can help to deal with or prevent mania. It can additionally be used to decrease the frequency of depression episodes.
Take this drug as routed by your physician. It is very important to consume lots of fluids while taking this medicine. Lithium might engage with certain medications that impact serotonin (such as antidepressants, SSRIs, MAO inhibitors). Tell your physician regarding every one of your medicines.
Mood Problems
Lithium is commonly used to deal with bipolar illness, a mental disease that creates extremely quick changes between the extreme state of minds of depression and mania. Bipolar illness can make it difficult to live a regular life and can cause serious troubles in relationships, job or institution. Lithium aids to stop these extreme mood modifications and lowers the extent of depression and mania.
The early research studies of lithium at Glostrup Psychiatric Hospital in the 1960s and 1970s given convincing evidence that it can lower the regularity of hospitalizations for depression (38 ). Baastrup and Schou's placebo-controlled discontinuance research was especially crucial because it showed that individuals relapsed on sugar pill however out lithium (39 ).
Your physician will certainly examine your blood levels regularly to make certain you are taking the appropriate amount of lithium. It is necessary to drink lots of liquids while taking this medicine. Your physician may recommend a low-sodium diet plan while you are taking this medication.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
Lithium is a mineral so soft you can cut it with a blade and so light it drifts on water. It is found naturally in the atmosphere, with researches linking reduced levels of it to emotional and psychological health problems and fierce criminal offense. The mineral was included in soft drinks in the 1960s, where it lightened up moods and helped people concentrate and concentrate-- therefore the name, 7-Up.
Lithium decreases mania by boosting the activity of an enzyme that regulates natural chemicals, lowering glutamate levels, and aiding to stabilize other chemicals in the mind. It has also been shown to have antidepressant impacts and boost sleep, irritability, hostility, and anxiousness in ADHD clients.
Individuals taking lithium should have regular blood examinations to monitor levels-- too expensive can be toxic. It is essential to let medical professionals know about other medications and supplements taken, as some can communicate with it. Tell your medical professional if you have diarrhea, vomiting, drowsiness, shakes, weakness, unsteady strolling, or fainting (specifically after exercise). Use efficient contraception to avoid maternity while taking this medication.
Hyperthyroidism.
Lithium might be made use of as a short-term treatment for over active thyroid glands (hyperthyroidism). This is especially important if the patient has Graves disease or various other autoimmune problems like thyroiditis or Hashimoto's condition. Lithium hinders the launch of thyroid hormonal agent by blocking iodine uptake at the thyroid gland through the sodium-iodide symporter and by interfering with tyrosine iodination. [9] Lithium also hinders thyrotropin-releasing hormonal agent (TRH) stimulation and reduces the production of thyroxine from tyrosine in the thyroid gland. [10] Nonetheless, lithium use may lead to hypothyroidism and a goiter in some people. [11] Therefore, regular examination of thyroid feature examinations and size mental health services is recommended in patients on lithium treatment.
It is essential to go over the advantages and dangers of this drug with your physician prior to beginning it. It is additionally crucial to stay clear of items low in sodium (salt) while taking this medicine and drink enough liquids. If you have any type of problems, call your medical professional or the emergency situation department immediately.
Epilepsy.
The anticonvulsant results of lithium are well developed from both clinical and speculative research studies. It is essential to keep in mind that unlike a few primitive professional reports and the lithium-pilocarpine pet design, a number of current research studies show that lithium in restorative degrees does not lower the seizure threshold however actually decreases the threshold for seizure event.
This is thought to result from the fact that lithium raises cholinergic activity, hinders phosphoinositide metabolic process and GSK-3b signalling. It additionally reduces glutamate excitotoxicity by boosting NMDA receptor agonist-evoked apoptotic currents and enhances the endogenous nitric oxide synthase task in nerve cells [36]
Lithium is well tolerated by most people with bipolar illness, but it has a few negative effects that need to be taken into account. These include a minimized capability to focus urine (nephrogenic diabetic issues insipidus) and an increase in the concentration of lithium in the blood (lithium poisoning). It is for that reason really crucial to follow your doctor's directions about having routine blood examinations.
