Lithium intoxication in the pre-hospital care with stroke symptoms - Case report

Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2019 Mar;40(1):17-21.

Abstract

Lithium is widely used in psychiatry to treat bipolar affective disorders since 1970 but little is known about the incidence, clinical course and associated factors of acute lithium intoxication. Moderate and severe cases of lithium intoxication are rare. This case reports a patient with acute lithium intoxication (serum level of 3.7 mmol/L) with neurological symptoms imitating stroke, which affects the differential diagnosis in the pre-hospital and hospital care. Patient was treated with forced diuresis and dismissed 21 days after admission.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Antimanic Agents / adverse effects*
  • Antimanic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Bipolar Disorder / drug therapy*
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Drug Overdose / blood
  • Drug Overdose / diagnosis*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lithium / blood
  • Lithium Carbonate / adverse effects*
  • Lithium Carbonate / therapeutic use
  • Stroke / diagnosis*

Substances

  • Antimanic Agents
  • Lithium Carbonate
  • Lithium