Renal toxicity is more common in patients on chronic lithium treatment. Toxicity includes impaired urinary concentrating ability, nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (the most common cause of drug-induced NDI), sodium-losing nephritis, nephrotic syndrome along with other manifestations is prescribed[19].
► Exposure to Lithium can cause loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain. ► Lithium can cause headache, muscle weakness, twitching, blurred vision, loss of coordination, tremors, confusion, seizures and coma.
Lithium has adverse effects on the kidneys, thyroid gland and parathyroid glands, necessitating monitoring of these organ functions through periodic blood tests. In most cases, lithium-associated renal effects are relatively mild.
Symptoms of lithium toxicity include severe nausea and vomiting, severe hand tremors, confusion, and vision changes. If you experience these, you should seek immediate medical attention to check your lithium levels.
Lithium may cause problems with kidney health. Kidney damage due to lithium may include acute (sudden) or chronic (long-term) kidney disease and kidney cysts. The amount of kidney damage depends on how long you have been taking lithium.
The most concerning side effects of long term lithium use are hypothyroidism and kidney problems. According to a 2015 review article , these side effects are most likely to affect women below the age of 60 years. They are also more common among people with higher-than-average concentrations of lithium in the blood.
Lithium also exerts antisuicidal, immunomodulatory, and neuroprotective effects. The main problems associated with long-term lithium treatment include kidney, thyroid, and probably cognitive issues.
(3). It has long been known that lithium has toxic effects on the thyroid gland and the kidneys. The thyroid toxicity, caused primarily by lithium's interference with thyroid hormones' release from the gland (19) affects up to 19% of treated patients (20).
Adverse effects were the most common cause for lithium discontinuation. Among the adverse effects, diarrhoea, tremor, creatinine increase, polyuria/polydipsia/diabetes insipidus and weight gain were the top five reasons for discontinuing lithium.
Avoid excessive intake of caffeinated beverages, such as coffee, tea, cola or energy drinks, since these may decrease levels of lithium and decrease effectiveness of the medication. Discontinuing caffeine use may increase lithium levels. Consult your health care provider before reducing or stopping caffeine use.
Can I take lithium for a long time? Lithium is generally safe to take for a long time. Most people take it for years with no problems. If you've been taking lithium for some time, it can cause weight gain.
Lithium is not recommended in patients with renal impairment. It is also not recommended in patients with cardiovascular disease. Lithium causes reversible T wave changes and can unmask Brugada syndrome. A cardiology consult is necessary if a patient experiences unexplained palpitations and syncope.
However, the trend was clear: lithium significantly extended lifespan. Lithium users had 3.6 times lower chances of dying at a given age compared to other antipsychotic drug users. Importantly, the effect was sex-independent, unlike with some known geroprotective drugs.
The reputation that lithium got for being "toxic," "mind numbing," and so forth, certainly those things have an element of truth to them. But they come from earlier studies where people were kept at a much higher doses and blood levels of lithium.
Lithium, methotrexate, amiodarone, and phenobarbital are high-risk medications.
The ones that treat bipolar depression are cariprazine (Vraylar), lurasidone (Latuda), olanzapine-fluoxetine combo (Symbyax), and quetiapine (Seroquel). Among them, lurasidone offers a good balance of efficacy and tolerability.
Of 873 patients treated with lithium, 54% discontinued lithium, corresponding to 561 episodes of lithium discontinuation. In 62% of episodes, lithium was discontinued due to adverse effects, in 44% due to psychiatric reasons, and in 12% due to physical reasons interfering with lithium treatment.
What we do know, however, is that stopping lithium can greatly increase the risk of bipolar disorder episodes recurring — especially when you stop abruptly. According to another 1993 study , the highest risk is the recurrence of manic episodes within the first few weeks after stopping lithium.
Lamotrigine (Lamictal) for Bipolar Disorder
It is especially effective in the prevention of bipolar depression. It was the first FDA-approved therapy since lithium for maintenance in bipolar disorder.
We found no reliable evidence of any robust differences between lithium and antidepressants but nor could we reliably exclude the possibility of clinically significant differences. In this review some studies included a mixed group of participants with either bipolar or unipolar disorder.
These side effects include: use of large quantities of water and related pollution; potential increase in carbon dioxide emissions; production of large quantities of mineral waste; increased respiratory problems; alteration of the hydrological cycle. Obviously the economic interests at stake are enormous.
Studies have shown that the average lithium-induced weight gain is between 4.85 and 22 lbs. Also, keep in mind that different causes contribute to lithium-induced weight gain - we will discuss them in more detail below.
Lithium has been reported to be beneficial in animal models of brain injury, stroke, Alzheimer's, Huntington's, and Parkinson's diseases, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), spinal cord injury, and other conditions.
Dental Side Effects of Lithium
People are more susceptible to particular dental issues when they lack saliva from lithium, such as tooth decay, gingivitis, and gum disease. The gums and other oral tissue can become red, inflamed, and ulcerated, making it painful to eat and follow a proper oral hygiene regimen.
In those exposed to lithium, 9.7% of patients were also subsequently diagnosed with dementia. In those that weren't exposed to lithium, 11.2% of people went on to develop dementia. Lithium conferred this beneficial effect even when people were exposed to it for less than one year.