Skip to main content

Drugs and Conditions which Affect Serum Lithium Levels

Drugs and Conditions which Affect Serum Lithium Levels

Question

Which one of the following may affect blood levels of lithium?

A. NSAIDS

B. ACE inhibitors

C. Thiazide diuretics

D. Dehydration

Drugs Which Raise Serum Lithium

The following drugs increase lithium levels through a pharmacokinetic interaction:

DNA

  • DIURETICS, furosemide is the safest one.
  • NSAIDs, sulindac and aspirin are the safest ones.
  • ACEIs, ARBs, Antipsychotics.

Drugs Which Decrease Serum Lithium


The following drugs reduce lithium levels (also a pharmacokinetic interaction).

  • Sodium bicarbonate
  • Theophylline

The body reabsorbs lithium in competition with sodium from the kidney tubule. If the reabsorption of sodium increases, that of lithium decreases, and if the reabsorption of sodium decreases, that of lithium increases. Thiazide diuretics cause sodium diuresis, i.e.decreased reabsorption. In this way, thiazides lead to increase lithium levels. Lithium reabsorption also depends on water reabsorption. It moves in parallel with the water. If the reabsorption of water increases, lithium reabsorption also increases, and vice versa. With dehydration, the body reabsorbs water in larger quantities, which leads to increased lithium reabsorption and increased blood lithium.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

ADVOKATE: A Mnemonic Tool for the Assessment of Eyewitness Evidence

ADVOKATE: A Mnemonic Tool for Assessment of Eyewitness Evidence A tool for assessing eyewitness  ADVOKATE is a tool designed to assess eyewitness evidence and how much it is reliable. It requires the user to respond to several statements/questions. Forensic psychologists, police or investigative officer can do it. The mnemonic ADVOKATE stands for: A = amount of time under observation (event and act) D = distance from suspect V = visibility (night-day, lighting) O = obstruction to the view of the witness K = known or seen before when and where (suspect) A = any special reason for remembering the subject T = time-lapse (how long has it been since witness saw suspect) E = error or material discrepancy between the description given first or any subsequent accounts by a witness.  Working with suspects (college.police.uk)

ICD-11 Criteria for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) 6A05

ICD-11 Criteria for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) 6A05 Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is characterised by a persistent pattern (at least 6 months) of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that has a direct negative impact on academic, occupational, or social functioning. There is evidence of significant inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity symptoms prior to age 12, typically by early to mid-childhood, though some individuals may first come to clinical attention later. The degree of inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity is outside the limits of normal variation expected for age and level of intellectual functioning. Inattention refers to significant difficulty in sustaining attention to tasks that do not provide a high level of stimulation or frequent rewards, distractibility and problems with organisation. Hyperactivity refers to excessive motor activity and difficulties with remaining still, most evident in structured situations that re...

ICD-11 Criteria for Anorexia Nervosa (6B80)

ICD-11 Criteria for Anorexia Nervosa (6B80) Anorexia Nervosa is characterised by significantly low body weight for the individual’s height, age and developmental stage that is not due to another health condition or to the unavailability of food. A commonly used threshold is body mass index (BMI) less than 18.5 kg/m2 in adults and BMI-for-age under 5th percentile in children and adolescents. Rapid weight loss (e.g. more than 20% of total body weight within 6 months) may replace the low body weight guideline as long as other diagnostic requirements are met. Children and adolescents may exhibit failure to gain weight as expected based on the individual developmental trajectory rather than weight loss. Low body weight is accompanied by a persistent pattern of behaviours to prevent restoration of normal weight, which may include behaviours aimed at reducing energy intake (restricted eating), purging behaviours (e.g. self-induced vomiting, misuse of laxatives), and behaviours aimed at incr...