title: Fatal lithium toxicity with therapeutic levels--a case report.
abstract: For nearly five decades now, lithium has been used as a drug for treatment of bipolar affective disorder [1]. Adverse effects of lithium have been reported, but still lithium continues to be an effective prophylactic agent for bipolar disorder. Serious and fatal toxicity can occur with levels of lithium considered to be in the therapeutic range [2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. We are reporting a patient who was on lithium for bipolar disorder and was admitted with a history of sudden collapse following vomiting, and sinus bradycardia with ST-T changes. The patient expired with levels of lithium being within therapeutic range.
authors.affiliation: Sri Devaraj Urs Medical College, Karnataka, India. drpnvr@rediffmail.com
authors.forename: P N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Venkatarathnamma
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Patil
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nanjundaiah
mesh_terms: D018692:Antimanic Agents / Q000506:poisoning* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D001919:Bradycardia / Q000139:chemically induced; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D008094:Lithium / Q000097:blood; D016651:Lithium Carbonate / Q000506:poisoning* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D011680:Pupil / Q000187:drug effects; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000139:chemically induced; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018692:Antimanic Agents; D016651:Lithium Carbonate; D008094:Lithium