Doctors should feel more confident in recommending lithium for people with bipolar disorder, say Oxford University researchers who have reviewed the evidence on possible side-effects of the drug.
Lithium is the most effective long-term therapy for bipolar disorder, but its use has decreased. This is partly due to concerns about the drug’s safety, such as its possible effect on kidney function.
Since many patients who might benefit from lithium may be missing out because of these uncertainties, the Oxford team led by Professor John Geddes of the Department of Psychiatry set out to gather better information about lithium’s side-effects.
They assessed almost 400 articles investigating the possible adverse effects of lithium and make a number of recommendations to guide lithium treatment in the future. The results are published in the Lancet medical journal.
Doctors should feel more confident in recommending lithium for people with bipolar disorder, say Oxford University researchers who have reviewed the evidence on possible side-effects of the drug.
Lithium is the most effective long-term therapy for bipolar disorder, but its use has decreased. This is partly due to concerns about the drug’s safety, such as its possible effect on kidney function.
Since many patients who might benefit from lithium may be missing out because of these uncertainties, the Oxford team led by Professor John Geddes of the Department of Psychiatry set out to gather better information about lithium’s side-effects.
They assessed almost 400 articles investigating the possible adverse effects of lithium and make a number of recommendations to guide lithium treatment in the future. The results are published in the Lancet medical journal.