Posts Tagged ‘Lithium’
Lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid)
A drug used in the form of its salts for the prevention and treatment of manic-depressive illness (bipolar depression) and in the prevention of recurrent depression (unipolar depression). Its mechanism of action is unclear, but it inhibits the action of an important enzyme involved in the transmission of signals in the brain. Lithium may be added to tricyclic antidepressants to increase their effectiveness. The concentrations of lithium in the blood that are therapeutically effective may be close to those that produce toxic effects. Plasma concentrations of lithium should therefore be monitored carefully and the dosage adjusted as necessary. Overdosage can be fatal. Lithium is available as lithium carbonate and lithium citrate. Read the rest of this entry »