Lithium therapy

Abstract

Lithium has proved to be a boon in treatment of affective disorders but can be tricky to use because of its narrow therapeutic range, potentially serious side effects, and numerous interactions with other drugs. Building on the basic principles of therapeutic drug monitoring presented in the first article in this series (October, page 121), Drs Lesar and Tollefson present specific guidelines for monitoring lithium therapy. They describe how and when to measure serum lithium levels and also provide a schedule of tests and examinations for detecting side effects and toxicity.