Bipolar Disorder Treatment - Lithium - Bipolar Disorder & Manic Depression Treatment Help, Symptoms & Signs of DepressionLithium Carbonate, known informally as Lithium, is the oldest mood stabilizer currently prescribed. In many ways it is also the best and most effective mood stabilizer available. The American Psychiatric Association recommends lithium as first line therapy for bipolar disorders. Numerous clinical trials have proven its efficacy for treating mood disorders. Although lithium is often used during manic episodes, it is also proven to help patients during depressive episodes. Lithium is usually prescribed in conjunction with other medications, because its effects are not instant or quick, but rather take some time to build up. Several days or even weeks may need to pass before lithium s full therapeutic effects are apparent. Due to this lag time, other drugs are frequently administered to handle the acute phases of bipolar disorder mood episodes. Lithium s most common use with regard to treating bipolar disorders is as a prophylactic (preventative) agent. Numerous clinical trials show that lithium is effective in stopping the onset of mood swing episodes, and reduces the frequency of relapses. Although lithium is highly effective at reducing the frequency and intensity of mood swings, it is also a very difficult and potentially dangerous drug to offer patients. Lithium s therapeutic dose is uncomfortably close to its toxic dose, meaning it is rather easy to take too much lithium by mistake and become poisoned. Toxically high blood lithium levels can cause respiratory depression, seizures, coma and even death. A battery of laboratory tests including a complete blood count, tests for serum (blood) creatinine and electrolytes, hormones, and urinalysis must therefore be conducted before prescribing this medication, and thereafter repeated on a regular basis so as to provide adequate monitoring of lithium blood levels.
