Podcast 795: Lithium Toxicity

Podcast 795: Lithium Toxicity

Contributor: Peter Bakes, MD

Educational Pearls:

  • Lithium remains a commonly used medication for treating bipolar disorder
  • Lithium toxicity can be acute, acute-on-chronic, or chronic
  • Measuring blood lithium level
    • Therapeutic range of lithium is around 1.6-1.8 mEq/L
    • >2 mEq/L is likely to cause significant toxicity
    • >4 mEq/L necessitates lifesaving treatment
    • The lethal dose of lithium is 700 mg/kg
    • Lithium can have delayed absorption resulting in levels increasing during hospitalization
  • Symptoms associated with acute lithium toxicity
    • Gastrointestinal
      • Nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain
    • Neurological
      • Tremor, nystagmus, CNS depression (late finding)
    • Cardiovascular
      • Bradycardia, QT prolongation, EKG changes
  • Treatment for lithium toxicity
    • ABCs
    • Get a good history
    • GI Decontamination:
      • Whole bowel irrigation if patient ingested extended-release tablets
    • Dialysis
      • Most effective treatment for lithium toxicity

References

Baird-Gunning J, Lea-Henry T, Hoegberg LCG, Gosselin S, Roberts DM. Lithium Poisoning. J Intensive Care Med. 2017;32(4):249-263.

Hedya SA, Avula A, Swoboda HD. Lithium Toxicity. In: StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing. Copyright © 2022, StatPearls Publishing LLC.; 2022.

McKnight RF, Adida M, Budge K, Stockton S, Goodwin GM, Geddes JR. Lithium toxicity profile: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet. 2012;379(9817):721-728.

Summarized by Mark O'Brien, MS4 | Edited by John Spartz, MD & Erik Verzemnieks, MD

The Emergency Medical Minute is excited to announce that we are now offering AMA PRA Category 1 credits™ via online course modules. To access these and for more information, visit our website at https://emergencymedicalminute.org/cme-courses/ and create an account.

Donate to EMM today!

Jaksot(1145)

Podcast 855: QT Intervals

Podcast 855: QT Intervals

​​Contributor: Travis Barlock MD Educational Pearls The QT interval represents phases 2 and 3 of ventricular plateau and repolarization, respectively. As the QT interval lengthens, more sodium an...

12 Kesä 20234min

Mental Health Monthly #16: Psychosis in the ED Part II

Mental Health Monthly #16: Psychosis in the ED Part II

Contributors: Andrew White MD & Travis Barlock MD In this follow-up episode Dr. Andrew White, a practicing psychiatrist with an addiction medicine fellowship, and Dr. Travis Barlock, an emergency phys...

7 Kesä 202324min

Episode 854: Tranq (xylazine) with Heroin

Episode 854: Tranq (xylazine) with Heroin

Contributor: Aaron Lessen, MD Educational Pearls: What is Tranq? Tranq is the street name for xylazine, a sedative drug typically used in veterinary medicine. Xylazine has recently emerged as a re...

5 Kesä 20232min

Podcast 853: Critical Care Medications - Vasopressors

Podcast 853: Critical Care Medications - Vasopressors

Contributor: Travis Barlock MD Educational Pearls: Three categories of pressors: inopressors, pure vasoconstrictors, and inodilators Inopressors:  Epinephrine - nonselective beta- and alpha-adr...

29 Touko 20235min

Podcast 852: Angioedema After Thrombolysis

Podcast 852: Angioedema After Thrombolysis

Contributor: Aaron Lessen, MD Educational Pearls: What is thrombolysis? Thrombolysis is performed by administration of a medication that promotes the body's natural ability to break up clots. These ...

22 Touko 20232min

Podcast 851: High-Dose Nitroglycerin in SCAPE

Podcast 851: High-Dose Nitroglycerin in SCAPE

Contributor: Aaron Lessen MD Educational Pearls: SCAPE (Sympathetic Crashing Acute Pulmonary Edema), formerly known as flash pulmonary edema, is a life-threatening condition due to a sudden sympathet...

15 Touko 20233min

Podcast 850: Cardiac Arrest - Entertainment vs. Reality

Podcast 850: Cardiac Arrest - Entertainment vs. Reality

Contributor: Travis Barlock, MD Educational Pearls: Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) is defined as when the heart suddenly stops beating. Immediate treatment for SCA includes Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation ...

8 Touko 20232min

Mental Health Monthly #15: Psychosis in the ED: Part I

Mental Health Monthly #15: Psychosis in the ED: Part I

Contributors: Andrew White MD & Travis Barlock MD In this episode of Mental Health Monthly, Dr. Andrew White, a practicing psychiatrist with an addiction medicine fellowship, and Dr. Travis Barlock, a...

3 Touko 202331min

Suosittua kategoriassa Tiede

tiedekulma-podcast
rss-mita-tulisi-tietaa
rss-poliisin-mieli
docemilia
radio-antro
utelias-mieli
filocast-filosofian-perusteet
rss-sosiopodi
ihanat-ipanat
mielipaivakirja
rss-bios-podcast
rss-duodecim-lehti
rss-ammamafia
rss-laakaripodi
rss-opeklubi