Help : i want the most common side effect of lithium carbonate

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hello nurses

can everyone tell me what the most comon side effect of \lithium carbonate

thanks

Specializes in Emergency.

I would suggest that the patient may need to be changed to a different medication, there are other effective alternatives for treatment of bi polar disorder such as epilim

Specializes in CTICU.

With a medication with a narrow therapeutic window, swapping drugs at the first sign of a complication is not necessarily the right move.

You would check blood levels, adjust dosage as required, and monitor the patient first.

I remember that when I was in NS and they asked about lithium toxicity, they wanted us to know therapeutic levels (0.6-1.2) and sxs of toxicity (N&V, tremors, later on disorientation). They also asked questions about adding/removing salt in the diet (dietary salt changes can affect lithium levels, which is also a salt).

As for using allnurses as a resource - it is a goldmine! But since you have internet access, don't stop there - data gathering on the internet (and recognizing which sources are credible and which are not) is a skill every NS student needs to possess. I always check and double check my info!

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