Lithium is a mood stabilizer and can help to deal with or avoid mania. It can also be used to lower the regularity of depression episodes.
Take this drug as routed by your doctor. It is essential to consume a lot of liquids while taking this medication. Lithium might interact with certain medicines that impact serotonin (such as antidepressants, SSRIs, MAO preventions). Inform your medical professional concerning every one of your medications.
Mood Disorders
Lithium is frequently utilized to deal with bipolar illness, a mental disease that creates really fast shifts between the extreme moods of depression and mania. Bipolar disorder can make it hard to live a normal life and can cause major issues in connections, work or institution. Lithium assists to avoid these extreme mood modifications and reduces the seriousness of anxiety and mania.
The early research studies of lithium at Glostrup Psychiatric Hospital in the 1960s and 1970s provided convincing evidence that it can reduce the frequency of hospitalizations for clinical depression (38 ). Baastrup and Schou's placebo-controlled discontinuance research was specifically vital due to the fact that it revealed that individuals fell back on placebo but not on lithium (39 ).
Your doctor will examine your blood degrees consistently to see to it you are taking the proper quantity of lithium. It is very important to consume lots of fluids while taking this medicine. Your doctor might advise a low-sodium diet regimen while you are taking this medication.
Attention Deficit Disorder (ADHD).
Lithium is a mineral so soft you can cut it with a knife and so light it drifts on water. It is located normally in the atmosphere, with studies linking reduced degrees of it to psychological and mental health problems and violent criminal activity. The mineral was included in sodas in the 1960s, where it brightened moods and aided individuals focus and concentrate-- hence the name, 7-Up.
Lithium lowers mania by boosting the action of an enzyme that regulates neurotransmitters, lowering glutamate levels, and helping to balance various other chemicals in the brain. It has actually additionally been shown to have antidepressant effects and improve sleep, irritability, aggressiveness, and stress and anxiety in ADHD people.
People taking lithium ought to have regular blood examinations to keep an eye on levels-- expensive can be hazardous. It is very important to let medical professionals understand about other medications and supplements taken, as some can connect with it. Tell your doctor if you have looseness of the bowels, vomiting, drowsiness, shakes, weak point, unsteady strolling, or fainting (particularly after exercise). Usage efficient birth control to stay clear of pregnancy while taking this medication.
Hyperthyroidism.
Lithium might be used as a temporary treatment for over active thyroid glands (hyperthyroidism). This is particularly important if the person has Graves disease or various other autoimmune conditions like thyroiditis or Hashimoto's condition. Lithium prevents the release of thyroid hormonal agent by blocking iodine uptake at the thyroid gland via the sodium-iodide symporter and by disrupting tyrosine iodination. [9] Lithium also prevents thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) excitement and reduces the manufacturing of thyroxine from tyrosine in the thyroid gland. [10] Nevertheless, lithium use might lead to hypothyroidism and a goiter in some people. [11] Hence, constant assessment of thyroid feature tests and dimension is recommended in patients on lithium treatment.
It is important to review the benefits and threats of this medication with your medical professional before beginning it. It is also vital to avoid items low in salt (salt) while taking talk therapy this medicine and beverage enough liquids. If you have any issues, call your medical professional or the emergency division immediately.
Epilepsy.
The anticonvulsant results of lithium are well established from both scientific and experimental research studies. It is important to keep in mind that in contrast to a few primitive professional reports and the lithium-pilocarpine pet model, a number of current studies show that lithium in therapeutic levels does not lower the seizure threshold however in fact lowers the limit for seizure occurrence.
This is thought to result from the fact that lithium boosts cholinergic activity, prevents phosphoinositide metabolic rate and GSK-3b signalling. It also minimizes glutamate excitotoxicity by increasing NMDA receptor agonist-evoked apoptotic currents and improves the endogenous nitric oxide synthase task in neurons [36]
Lithium is well tolerated by most individuals with bipolar disorder, however it has a couple of side effects that need to be thought about. These include a decreased capacity to concentrate urine (nephrogenic diabetes mellitus insipidus) and a rise in the concentration of lithium in the blood (lithium toxicity). It is consequently very essential to follow your physician's guidelines about having routine blood examinations.
