Lithe Toxicity

Subject: Mental Health (Theory)

Overview

Lithium is a prescription medicine used to treat bipolar disorder (formerly called manic depression). This article focuses on lithium overdose, or toxicity.Acute toxicity occurs when you swallow too much of a lithium prescription at one time.Chronic toxicity occurs when you slowly take a little too much lithium prescription every day for a while. This is actually quite easy to do, because dehydration, other medicines, and other conditions can easily affect how your body handles lithium. Depending on how much lithium was taken, a person may also have some of the following nervous system symptoms like Coma (decreased level of consciousness, lack of responsiveness),lack of coordination of arms and legs, seizures,slurred speech,uncontrollable eye movement,heart problems may occur in rare cases and so on.

Lithium is a prescription medicine used to treat bipolar disorder (formerly called manic depression). This article focuses on lithium overdose or toxicity. There are basically two types of toxicity which include chronic toxicity and acute chronic toxicity.

Chronic toxicity

It occurs when you slowly take a little too much lithium prescription every day for a while. This is actually quite easy to do, because dehydration, other medicines, and other conditions can easily affect how your body handles lithium. These factors can make the lithium build up to harmful levels in your body.

Acute chronic toxicity

It occurs when you normally take lithium every day for bipolar disorder, but one day you take an extra amount. This can be as little as a couple of pills or as much as a whole bottle.

Symptoms of Acute Toxicity

Diarrhea
Dizziness
Nausea
Stomach pains
Vomiting
Weakness

Depending on how much lithium was taken, a person may also have some of the following nervous system symptoms:

Coma (decreased level of consciousness, lack of responsiveness)
Hand tremors
Lack of coordination of arms and legs
Muscle twitches
Seizures
Slurred speech
Uncontrollable eye movement
Heart problems may occur in rare cases.

Symptoms of Chronic toxicity

Increased reflexes
Slurred speech
Uncontrolled shaking (tremors)

In severe cases of chronic toxicity, there may also be the nervous system and kidney problems, such as:

Kidney failure
Memory problems
Movement disorders
Problems keeping salts in your body
Psychosis (disturbed thought processes, unpredictable behavior)

Things to remember

Lithium is a prescription medicine used to treat bipolar disorder (formerly called manic depression).
This article focuses on lithium overdose, or toxicity.
Acute toxicity occurs when you swallow too much of a lithium prescription at one time.
Chronic toxicity occurs when you slowly take a little too much lithium prescription every day for a while.
This is actually quite easy to do, because dehydration, other medicines, and other conditions can easily affect how your body handles lithium.
Depending on how much lithium was taken, a person may also have some of the following nervous system symptoms like Coma (decreased level of consciousness, lack of responsiveness),lack of coordination of arms and legs, seizures,slurred speech,uncontrollable eye movement,heart problems may occur in rare cases and so on.

Questions and Answers

What are the types of lithe toxicity ?

Acute toxicity occurs when you consume an excessive amount of a lithium prescription at once.

Chronic toxicity occurs when you take a little too much lithium prescription every day for a long period of time. This is actually quite simple, because dehydration, other medications, and other conditions can all have an impact on how your body handles lithium.

What are the Sign and symptoms of lithe toxicity ?

Acute toxicity

Diarrhea
Dizziness
Nausea
Stomach pains
Vomiting
Weakness