Lithium is a mood stabilizer and can aid to treat or protect against mania. It can additionally be utilized to reduce the frequency of clinical depression episodes.
Take this medicine as guided by your medical professional. It is important to drink lots of liquids while taking this medication. Lithium might engage with particular medications that affect serotonin (such as antidepressants, SSRIs, MAO inhibitors). Tell your physician regarding every one of your drugs.
State of mind Problems
Lithium is often used to treat bipolar affective disorder, a mental disease that creates really fast shifts between the extreme moods of depression and mania. Bipolar disorder can make it difficult to live a typical life and can trigger severe issues in partnerships, job or institution. Lithium assists to avoid these severe state of mind modifications and reduces the intensity of anxiety and mania.
The very early research studies of lithium at Glostrup Psychiatric Hospital in the 1960s and 1970s supplied persuading evidence that it can minimize the frequency of hospitalizations for anxiety (38 ). Baastrup and Schou's placebo-controlled discontinuance research study was particularly essential since it showed that clients relapsed on placebo but not on lithium (39 ).
Your doctor will certainly 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 Hyperactivity 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 naturally in the environment, with studies connecting reduced degrees of it to emotional and mental health problems and terrible criminal activity. The mineral was contributed to soft drinks in the 1960s, where it brightened moods and aided individuals focus and concentrate-- hence the name, 7-Up.
Lithium lowers mania by boosting the activity of an enzyme that regulates neurotransmitters, lowering glutamate degrees, and assisting to balance various other chemicals in the mind. It has also been revealed to have antidepressant results and enhance sleep, irritability, aggressiveness, and stress and anxiety in ADHD clients.
People taking lithium needs to have routine blood tests to monitor degrees-- too expensive can be harmful. It is important to allow physicians learn about other drugs and supplements taken, as some can communicate with it. Tell your medical professional if you have diarrhea, vomiting, sleepiness, tremblings, weakness, unstable walking, or fainting (especially after workout). Use effective contraception to prevent pregnancy while taking this medication.
Hyperthyroidism.
Lithium may be made use of 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] Thus, frequent examination of thyroid function examinations and size is suggested in clients on lithium treatment.
It is very important to discuss the advantages and risks of this drug with your doctor prior to starting it. It is additionally essential to stay clear of products reduced in sodium (salt) while taking this medication and drink sufficient fluids. If you have any type of problems, call your physician or the emergency department right away.
Epilepsy.
The anticonvulsant results of lithium are well developed from both clinical and experimental research studies. It is very important to keep in mind that in contrast to a couple of primitive clinical records and the lithium-pilocarpine pet design, a variety of recent research studies demonstrate that lithium in restorative degrees does not reduce the seizure threshold however in fact lowers the limit for seizure occurrence.
This is believed to result from the truth that lithium raises cholinergic activity, prevents phosphoinositide metabolism and GSK-3b signalling. It likewise lowers glutamate excitotoxicity by enhancing NMDA receptor agonist-evoked apoptotic currents and boosts the endogenous nitric oxide synthase activity in nerve cells [36]
Lithium is well endured by the majority of people with bipolar illness, however it has a couple of side effects that should be thought about. These behavioral health include a minimized capacity to concentrate urine (nephrogenic diabetes mellitus insipidus) and an increase in the focus of lithium in the blood (lithium poisoning). It is for that reason extremely vital to follow your doctor's directions concerning having regular blood tests.
