Lithium: a review of its metabolic adverse effects.
Treatment with lithium has long been recognized to be associated with metabolic adverse effects notably hypothyroidism, hyperparathyroidism, weight gain and nephrogenic diabetes insipidus. It is important that clinicians prescribing lithium are aware of these adverse effects and have a strategy for their detection and management. We review aspects of these actions of lithium including their prevalence, risk factors, biochemical changes involved and management, and discuss some advances that have been made in their understanding in recent years.
Livingstone
Callum
C
Clinical Biochemistry Department, Royal Surrey County Hospital, Guildford, Surrey, UK. clivingstone@royalsurrey.nhs.uk
Rampes
Hagan
H
D018500:Diabetes Insipidus, Nephrogenic / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis; D016903:Drug Monitoring; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D006962:Hyperparathyroidism, Secondary / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis; D018020:Lithium Compounds / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012307:Risk Factors; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects*
D018020:Lithium Compounds