Lithium is a mood stabilizer and can assist to deal with or prevent mania. It can additionally be used to lower the regularity of depression episodes.
Take this medication as directed by your medical professional. It is necessary to drink plenty of liquids while taking this medication. Lithium might engage with specific medicines that affect serotonin (such as antidepressants, SSRIs, MAO preventions). Tell your doctor regarding all of your medicines.
Mood Conditions
Lithium is typically used to deal with bipolar disorder, a mental disorder that triggers extremely rapid shifts between the severe moods of depression and mania. Bipolar affective disorder can make it tough to live a normal life and can create severe troubles in partnerships, job or college. Lithium aids to prevent these extreme state of mind adjustments and decreases the intensity of depression and mania.
The very early studies of lithium at Glostrup Psychiatric Hospital in the 1960s and 1970s given convincing evidence that it can minimize the frequency of hospital stays for clinical depression (38 ). Baastrup and Schou's placebo-controlled discontinuance research study was especially crucial due to the fact that it showed that clients slipped back on sugar pill but out lithium (39 ).
Your doctor will examine your blood levels routinely to make sure you are taking the proper amount of lithium. It is very important to drink lots of liquids while taking this medication. Your medical professional might advise a low-sodium diet while you are taking this medicine.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
Lithium is a mineral so soft you can cut it with a blade therefore light it drifts on water. It is located normally in the atmosphere, with researches connecting low degrees of it to emotional and psychological health issue and terrible criminal activity. The mineral was added to sodas in the 1960s, where it brightened state of minds and helped individuals concentrate and concentrate-- hence the name, 7-Up.
Lithium lowers mania by increasing the activity of an enzyme that regulates neurotransmitters, lowering glutamate levels, and assisting to stabilize various other chemicals in the brain. It has additionally been shown to have antidepressant effects and enhance sleep, irritation, hostility, and anxiousness in ADHD clients.
People taking lithium must have regular blood examinations to monitor levels-- too expensive can be poisonous. It is essential to let physicians learn about other medicines and supplements taken, as some can engage with it. Inform your medical professional if you have diarrhea, vomiting, drowsiness, tremblings, weakness, unsteady strolling, or fainting (specifically after exercise). Use reliable birth control to avoid pregnancy while taking this medicine.
Hyperthyroidism.
Lithium may be used as a short-term treatment for over active thyroid glands (hyperthyroidism). This is especially essential if the individual has Tomb disease or other autoimmune conditions like thyroiditis or Hashimoto's illness. Lithium prevents the release of thyroid hormone by blocking iodine uptake at the thyroid gland through the sodium-iodide symporter and by interfering with tyrosine iodination. [9] Lithium also inhibits thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) stimulation and decreases the production of thyroxine from tyrosine in the thyroid gland. [10] However, lithium usage may cause hypothyroidism and a goiter in some clients. [11] For this reason, regular assessment of thyroid function tests and size is recommended in patients on lithium treatment.
It is necessary to discuss the advantages and threats of this medication with your medical professional prior to starting it. It is also important to stay clear of products low in sodium (salt) while taking this medicine and drink sufficient liquids. If you have any kind of issues, call your physician or the emergency department right away.
Epilepsy.
The anticonvulsant results of lithium are well developed from both scientific and experimental studies. It is necessary to keep in mind that in comparison to a couple of primitive clinical records and the lithium-pilocarpine pet model, a variety of current researches show that lithium in restorative levels does not reduce the seizure threshold but in fact reduces the threshold for seizure event.
This is believed to be due to the reality that lithium boosts cholinergic activity, hinders phosphoinositide metabolic rate and GSK-3b signalling. It likewise reduces glutamate excitotoxicity by raising NMDA receptor agonist-evoked apoptotic currents and boosts the endogenous nitric oxide synthase activity in neurons [36]
Lithium is well endured by the majority of people with bipolar affective disorder, but it has a couple of side effects that must be taken into consideration. These consist of a decreased capacity to focus urine (nephrogenic diabetes mellitus insipidus) and a boost in the concentration of lithium in the blood (lithium poisoning). It is therefore really substance abuse counseling essential to follow your medical professional's instructions concerning having routine blood examinations.
