Lithium Carbonate (Lithium Carbonate) - Summary

SUMMARY

Lithium Carbonate Extended Release Tablets USP contain lithium carbonate, a white, light alkaline powder with molecular formula Li₂CO₃ and molecular weight 73.

Lithium Carbonate Extended Release Tablets USP are indicated in the treatment of manic episodes of manic-depressive illness. Maintenance therapy prevents or diminishes the intensity of subsequent episodes in those manic-depressive patients with a history of mania.

Typical symptoms of mania include pressure of speech, motor hyperactivity, reduced need for sleep, flight of ideas, grandiosity, elation, poor judgment, aggressiveness and possibly hostility. When given to a patient experiencing a manic episode, Lithium Carbonate Extended Release Tablets USP may produce a normalization of symptomatology within 1 to 3 weeks.

See all Lithium Carbonate indications & dosage >>

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

Media Articles Related to Lithium Carbonate (Lithium)

Lithium Safe But Of No Benefit To ALS Patients
Source: Clinical Trials / Drug Trials News From Medical News Today [2013.03.21]
A clinical trial concludes that while lithium carbonate appears to be safe, it is ineffective at treating amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a type of motor neuron disease (MND) that is also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease...

Seeking A Safer Alternative To Lithium For Bipolar Disorder
Source: Bipolar News From Medical News Today [2013.04.01]
Toxicity problems and adverse side effects when taking lithium, the mainstay medication for treating bipolar disorder, are fostering a scientific hunt for insights into exactly how lithium works in the body - with an eye to developing a safer alternative. That's the topic of the cover story in the current edition of Chemical & Engineering News...

Lithium Could Be Key To Personalized Treatment For Bipolar Disorder
Source: Bipolar News From Medical News Today [2012.09.25]
Lithium is a 'gold standard' drug for treating bipolar disorder, however not everyone responds in the same way. New research published in BioMed Central's open access journal Biology of Mood & Anxiety Disorders finds that this is true at the levels of gene activation, especially in the activation or repression of genes which alter the level the apoptosis (programmed cell death)...

New Study On Post-War Romanian Abortion Policy Demonstrates That Restrictions Result In Maternal Mortality
Source: Abortion News From Medical News Today [2013.01.18]
A unique study published in today's edition of the Journal of Family Planning and Reproductive Health Care1, provides new evidence about the causal links between restrictions to abortion policy and maternal mortality. The study demonstrates that limiting abortion does not prevent women from seeking pregnancy terminations but simply increases the risks they face...

Bipolar Disorder (Mania) Quiz: Test Your Emotional Wellness IQ
Source: MedicineNet aripiprazole Specialty [2012.09.24]
Title: Bipolar Disorder (Mania) Quiz: Test Your Emotional Wellness IQ
Category: MedicineNet Quiz
Created: 9/18/2012 1:28:00 PM
Last Editorial Review: 9/24/2012 6:15:37 PM

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Published Studies Related to Lithium Carbonate (Lithium)

Lithium lacks effect on survival in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a phase IIb randomised sequential trial. [2012]
blind, sequential trial... CONCLUSIONS: This trial, designed to detect a modest effect of lithium, did not

Efficacy and safety of lithium carbonate treatment of chronic spinal cord injuries: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial. [2011.11.22]
Study design:Lithium has attracted much attention as a neuroregenerative agent for spinal cord injury in animal models. We hypothesized that the lithium can be beneficial to patients with spinal cord injury... No severe adverse event was documented in the study.Conclusion:The lithium treatment did not change the neurological outcomes of patients with chronic spinal cord injury.

Dosing strategies for lithium monotherapy in children and adolescents with bipolar I disorder. [2011.06]
OBJECTIVE: The primary goal of this exploratory study was to obtain data that could lead to evidence-based dosing strategies for lithium in children and adolescents suffering from bipolar I disorder... CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of these results, a dosing strategy in which pediatric patients begin lithium at a dose of 300 mg thrice daily (with an additional 300 mg increase during the first week), followed by 300 mg weekly increases until a priori stopping criteria are met, will be used in an upcoming randomized, placebo-controlled trial.

Lithium carbonate pre-treatment in 131-I therapy of hyperthyroidism. [2011]
CONCLUSIONS: Lithium pre-treatment in hyperthyroid patients with low baseline uptake of radioiodine can increase iodine retention in the thyroid gland independently of the primary disease and permits the use of lower doses of radiation in the therapy.

Treatment of suicide attempters with bipolar disorder: a randomized clinical trial comparing lithium and valproate in the prevention of suicidal behavior. [2011]
CONCLUSIONS: Despite the high frequency of suicide events during the study, this

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Clinical Trials Related to Lithium Carbonate (Lithium)

Lithium in Multiple System Atrophy [Recruiting]
The purpose of this study is to determine safety and tolerability of the treatment with lithium in Multiple System Atrophy. Moreover, clinical symptoms, neuronal loss, quality of life and depressive symptoms, will be considered to further investigate the effect of lithium therapy.

Safety and Tolerability of Lithium in Spinocerebellar Ataxia 2 (SCA2) [Recruiting]
The purpose of this study is to determine safety and tolerability of the treatment with lithium in Spinocerebellar Ataxia 2. Moreover, clinical symptoms, neuronal loss, quality of life and depressive symptoms, will be considered to further investigate the effect of lithium therapy.

Safety and Efficacy of Lithium Carbonate in Patients With Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 3 [Recruiting]
Design: Phase II, double-blind, parallel, placebo controlled randomized Clinical trial

Background: Spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA-3) is an autosomal dominant adult-onset neurodegenerative disorder for which there is no current treatment. Patients will invariably become dependent from others and unable to walk during the disease course.

Hypothesis: Lithium Carbonate is safe and effective in treating neurological symptoms and improving quality of life of patients with SCA3.

Outcomes:

Primary

1. - To assess safety and tolerability of Lithium Carbonate in patients with SCA3

2. - To assess efficacy of Lithium Carbonate in patients with SCA3 through the

Neurological Examination Score for SCA 3 (NESSCA)

Secondary

1. - To assess efficacy on neurological function, ataxic, depressive and quality of life

scores of Lithium Carbonate in patients with SCA3 through the Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia (SARA), 9-Hole Peg Board test, 8m walking time, PATA repetition rate, Click Test, SCA Functional Index (SCAFI), Composite Cerebellar Functional Score (CCFS), Beck Depression Inventory, Barthel Index and WHOQol

2. - To assess the effect of Lithium Carbonate in peripheral levels and expression of

treatment biomarkers (BDNF, NSE, HDAC, GSK-3Beta)

Study Duration: 12 months - first preliminary analysis at 6 months of study

Location: Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre

Subjects: 60 molecularly diagnosed SCA3 patients from the outpatient unit of the Medical Genetics Service of Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre

Intervention: Lithium Carbonate tablets of 300mg. Starting dose will be 300mg/day with drug titration during 49 days or until achieving the defined target lithium serum level of 0,6 to 0,8 mEq/L

Long-Term Lithium Treatment for Aggressive Conduct Disorder [Completed]
This study will examine the long-term effects of lithium used to treat children and adolescents with aggressive conduct disorder (severe aggression).

Safety and Efficacy Study of Lithium for the Treatment of Pediatric Mania. [Recruiting]
Study Design This is the second study of a multiphase, multicenter trial that will comprehensively examine lithium in the treatment of pediatric participants with bipolar I disorder. In order to examine the treatment of bipolar disorder with lithium, this study will include four phases of treatment. The first phase, the Efficacy Phase, will include participants being randomized to either lithium or placebo for 8 weeks to determine the efficacy of lithium in the treatment of children and adolescents with bipolar I disorder. Once participants complete the Efficacy Phase, participants may be eligible to continue in the Long- Term Effectiveness Phase for a maximum of 24 weeks of lithium treatment. Subsequently, participants meeting response criteria during the Long-Term Effectiveness Phase will be eligible to continue in the Discontinuation Phase. During the Discontinuation Phase, participants will be randomized to either placebo or lithium treatment for up to 28 weeks. Finally, those participants who experience a mood relapse during the Discontinuation Phase will be enrolled in an Open Label Restabilization Phase and treated with lithium for up to 8 weeks.

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Reports of Suspected Lithium Carbonate (Lithium) Side Effects

Toxicity TO Various Agents (144),  Tremor (76),  Completed Suicide (75),  Renal Failure Acute (49),  Somnolence (40),  Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (40),  Insomnia (40),  Vomiting (39),  Nausea (38),  Dizziness (34), more >>

PATIENT REVIEWS / RATINGS / COMMENTS

Lithium Carbonate review by 32 year old female patient
		Rating
Overall rating:
Effectiveness:		Considerably Effective
Side effects:		Moderate Side Effects
		Treatment Info
Condition / reason:		Mania
Dosage & duration:		900 mg per day taken once at night for the period of 10 years
Other conditions:		none
Other drugs taken:		Ortho tricyclen
		Reported Results
Benefits:		prevented mania and panic experienced with mania
Side effects:		severe acne for first three years.
Comments:		After the initial three years, this drug has worked well for me ever since.

Lithium Carbonate review by 27 year old female patient
		Rating
Overall rating:
Effectiveness:		Moderately Effective
Side effects:		Severe Side Effects
		Treatment Info
Condition / reason:		Bipolar
Dosage & duration:		1500mg taken once daily for the period of months
Other conditions:		Bulimia
Other drugs taken:		Toprimate 400mg, prevacid 60mg
		Reported Results
Benefits:		I have found that I have been able to sleep better and my thoughts do not race like they did when I was not taking the lithium. It has not made me as tired or hungry as other meds have which was a welcome surprise. Still not able to focus as well as I had hoped. I work full-time and hold an aditional part-time job and was worried that I was not going to be able to continue with these prior to beginning with this treatment. I have been managing better since taking the lithium.
Side effects:		Blurry vision to the point where I now have to wear glasses. My skin has acne and I didn't have it before. I have to use a prescription to controle it. My acid reflux is terrible and i have to use a prevacid to control that. My skin is very dry and it has become so bad that if i don't moisturize it will bleed. Mild tremmor. Slight confusion and inability to concentrate sometimes. My hair falls out more than it used to. As my doctor says: it's a dirty drug. However, I'm not a zombie and I can sleep so I can learn to live with the above.
Comments:		I started at 150mg and slowly went up by 150mg every time the side effects calmed down. Usually when I stopped tasting the metallic taste in my mouth I would increase the dose. I've been on toprimate 400mg for one year. Therapy with my psychiatrist twice per week (sometimes once per week due to scheduling conflicts).

Lithium Carbonate review by 23 year old male patient
		Rating
Overall rating:
Effectiveness:		Marginally Effective
Side effects:		Moderate Side Effects
		Treatment Info
Condition / reason:		bipolar disorder
Dosage & duration:		1200 MG taken 600 mg twice a day for the period of 1 year
Other conditions:		N/A
Other drugs taken:		N/A
		Reported Results
Benefits:		I felt a bit calmer and had a little less mania, but it did not help much.
Side effects:		upset stomach, low appetite, metallic taste, tremor
Comments:		I was given lithium in order to calm my manic thoughts and depressive symptoms along with psychotherapy. I did not notice much improvement from lithium. It did come with unwanted side effects such as persistent tremor and upset stomach. I would like to try another medication.