title: ARDS following acute lithium carbonate intoxication.
abstract: Lithium is a two-edged sword; it is on the one hand a unique drug with invaluable psychoactive potential and on the other a drug which can cause multisystem toxicity and even death. We present a case of severe lithium intoxication with multiple organ involvement. Our patient developed the adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (DI), distinctive neurological abnormalities, and hyperglycemia. We believe that this is a case of ARDS due to lithium toxicity in which elevated left atrial pressures were excluded by right heart catheterization and suggest a causal relationship between lithium and ARDS.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Cooper Hospital, University Medical Center, Camden, NJ.
authors.forename: B C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Friedman
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Bekes
authors.forename: W E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bartter
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001784:Blood Gas Analysis; D003919:Diabetes Insipidus / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D016651:Lithium Carbonate / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000506:poisoning*; D011041:Poisoning / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D011669:Pulmonary Wedge Pressure; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D016651:Lithium Carbonate