Combination therapy with nefazodone and lithium: Safety and tolerability in fourteen patients

Abstract

Fourteen patients with major depression, resistant to previous pharmacotherapies, were treated by the addition of lithium (target range 0.6–0.8 mmol/l) to nefazodone (≥400 mg/day) and were prospectively monitored for 6 weeks to assess safety and tolerability. There were 42 emergent adverse events—most commonly headache, nausea, gastro-intestinal disturbances, tremor, polyuria/polydipsia, dry mouth and tiredness. Information on ten additional patients receiving combined treatment with lithium and nefazodone was collected by retrospective chart review, and it was found that similar adverse events (tremor, dry mouth and tiredness) had occurred in these patients. We conclude that when lithium is added to nefazodone, new adverse events do occur, but that the treatment is safe and tolerable.