@article{ref1,
title="Lithium revisited",
journal="Canadian journal of psychiatry, The",
year="2001",
author="McIntyre, R. S. and Mancini, D. A. and Parikh, S. and Kennedy, S. H.",
volume="46",
number="4",
pages="322-327",
abstract="OBJECTIVE: To review lithium's utility in the treatment of mood disorders. METHOD: We reviewed the safety, tolerability, teratogenicity, optimal dosing regimens, and mortality-lowering effects of lithium. Clinical relevance and scientific rigour determined which articles we selected for review. RESULTS: Lithium is the paradigmatic treatment for bipolar disorder (BD). In treating BD, optimal maintenance plasma levels may be approximately 0.75 to 0.85 mEq/L. Although nephrogenic diabetes insipidus is not uncommon, irreversible renal failure due to lithium appears to be a rare, idiosyncratic event. Lithium-induced cardiovascular teratology appears to be less common than previously thought. Optimal lithium dosing may be once daily, this agent appears to bestow a robust suicide-lowering effect, and emerging data hint at neurotrophic and neuroprotective effects. CONCLUSION: Lithium remains an effective and integral agent in the treatment of BD. Its ability to lower suicide rates in persons with BD warrants clinical attention.<p /><p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0706-7437",
doi="10.1177/070674370104600402",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/070674370104600402"
}