This Article  • References  • Full text PDF  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in JAMA  Social Bookmarking   What's this?

Abraham Flemenbaum, MD
Lubbock, Tex

JAMA. 1974;227(8):941-942.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text PDF and any section headings.

To the Editor.—

The article of F. A. Herrero on lithium carbonate toxicity (226:1109, 1973) deserves comment. Some authorities believe lithium carbonate is one of the most underused neuroleptic drugs.

Though considered safe within the appropriate therapeutic range (0.6 to 1.2 mEq/liter), it is always important to know about idiosyncrasies, so that physicians may take appropriate measures. Awareness of these unusual cases, however, should be created without stimulating exaggerated fears that may inhibit use in cases where lithium is clearly indicated.

Both the report and the editorial note fail to recognize recent findings suggesting that appropriate treatment for acute manic episodes should include phenothiazines or butyrophenones. This treatment method is more effective in controlling the initial symptoms of hyperactivity during the waiting period of seven to ten days necessary for lithium activity. It also decreases the need for blood lithium levels as high as 1.5 mEq/liter, thus lowering the risk . . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter     What's this?