Skip to main content
PMC home page
British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology logoLink to British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology
. 1980 Jun;9(6):599–604. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2125.1980.tb01086.x

Effect of therapeutic dosage of lithium on the heart.

P Dumovic, G D Burrows, K Chamberlain, J Vohra, J Fuller, J G Sloman
PMCID: PMC1430008  PMID: 7387816

Abstract

1 The cardiac effects of therapeutic levels of lithium were investigated in six healthy male volunteers. Subjects were studied: (1) before lithium ingestion, and (2) when steady-state plasma lithium levels were attained (at least 2 weeks after beginning daily lithium ingestion). 2 A 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) and high-speed high-fidelity ECG were used to record electrical activity of the heart. Fractional shortening of the left ventricle using echocardiography, and systolic time intervals (at rest and during exercise), were used as measures of myocardial performance. 3 In this group of healthy volunteers administration of lithium carbonate was associated with a reduction in T wave amplitude in standard electrocardiograms but no statistically significant impairment of myocardial performance.

Full text

PDF
600

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. ANDREANI G. Rilievi elettrocardiografici durante il trattamento di malattie mentali con sali di litio. G Clin Med. 1957 Nov;38(11):1759–1775. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Demers R. G., Heninger G. R. Electrocardiographic T-wave changes during lithium carbonate treatment. JAMA. 1971 Oct 18;218(3):381–386. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Demers R. G., Heninger G. Electrocardiographic changes during lithium treatment. Dis Nerv Syst. 1970 Oct;31(10):674–679. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Eliasen P., Andersen M. Sinoatrial block during lithium treatment. Eur J Cardiol. 1975 Aug;3(2):97–98. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Frazer A., Secunda S. K., Mendels J. A method for the determination of sodium, potassium, magnesium and lithium concentrations in erythrocytes. Clin Chim Acta. 1972 Feb;36(2):499–509. doi: 10.1016/0009-8981(72)90026-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Hansen H. E., Amdisen A. Lithium intoxication. (Report of 23 cases and review of 100 cases from the literature). Q J Med. 1978 Apr;47(186):123–144. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Heissenbuttel R. H., Bigger J. T., Jr The effect of oral quinidine on intraventricular conduction in man: correlation of plasma quinidine with changes in QRS duration. Am Heart J. 1970 Oct;80(4):453–462. doi: 10.1016/0002-8703(70)90191-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Jacob A. I., Hope R. R. Prolongation of the Q-T interval in lithium toxicity. J Electrocardiol. 1979 Jan;12(1):117–119. doi: 10.1016/s0022-0736(79)80054-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Jaffe C. M. First-degree atrioventricular block during lithium carbonate treatment. Am J Psychiatry. 1977 Jan;134(1):88–89. doi: 10.1176/ajp.134.1.88. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Kochar M. S., Wang R. I., D'Cunha G. F. Electrocardiographic changes simulating hypokalemia during treatment with lithium carbonate. J Electrocardiol. 1971;4(4):371–373. doi: 10.1016/s0022-0736(71)80024-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Lewis R. P., Rittogers S. E., Froester W. F., Boudoulas H. A critical review of the systolic time intervals. Circulation. 1977 Aug;56(2):146–158. doi: 10.1161/01.cir.56.2.146. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Reisberg B., Gershon S. Side effects associated with lithium therapy. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1979 Jul 20;36(8 Spec No):879–887. doi: 10.1001/archpsyc.1979.01780080053013. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Roose S. P., Nurnberger J. I., Dunner D. L., Blood D. K., Fieve R. R. Cardiac sinus node dysfunction during lithium treatment. Am J Psychiatry. 1979 Jun;136(6):804–806. doi: 10.1176/ajp.136.6.804. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Swedberg K., Winblad B. Heart failure as complication of lithium treatment. Preliminary report of a fatal case. Acta Med Scand. 1974 Oct;196(4):279–280. doi: 10.1111/j.0954-6820.1974.tb01011.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Tangedahl T. N., Gau G. T. Myocardial irritability associated with lithium carbonate therapy. N Engl J Med. 1972 Oct 26;287(17):867–869. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197210262871709. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Tilkian A. G., Schroeder J. S., Kao J. J., Hultgren H. N. The cardiovascular effects of lithium in man. A review of the literature. Am J Med. 1976 Nov;61(5):665–670. doi: 10.1016/0002-9343(76)90145-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Tilkian A. G., Schroeder J. S., Kao J., Hultgren H. Effect of lithium on cardiovascular performance: report on extended ambulatory monitoring and exercise testing before and during lithium therapy. Am J Cardiol. 1976 Nov 23;38(6):701–708. doi: 10.1016/0002-9149(76)90346-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Tseng H. L. Interstitial myocarditis probably related to lithium carbonate intoxication. Arch Pathol. 1971 Dec;92(6):444–448. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Van Der Hoeven G. M., Clerens P. J., Donders J. J., Beneken J. E., Vonk J. T. A study of systolic time intervals during uninterrupted exercise. Br Heart J. 1977 Mar;39(3):242–254. doi: 10.1136/hrt.39.3.242. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Weissler A. M., Harris W. S., Schoenfeld C. D. Systolic time intervals in heart failure in man. Circulation. 1968 Feb;37(2):149–159. doi: 10.1161/01.cir.37.2.149. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Wellens H. J., Cats V. M., Düren D. R. Symptomatic sinus node abnormalities following lithium carbonate therapy. Am J Med. 1975 Aug;59(2):285–287. doi: 10.1016/0002-9343(75)90365-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Wilson J. R., Kraus E. S., Bailas M. M., Rakita L. Reversible sinus-node abnormalities due to lithium carbonate therapy. N Engl J Med. 1976 May 27;294(22):1223–1224. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197605272942209. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Wren J. C., Dana J. B. Electrocardiographic changes during lithium therapy. J Maine Med Assoc. 1976 Jul;67(7):185–189. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. van der Hoeven G. M., Beneken J. E., Clerens P. J. A new atraumatic technique of recording systolic time intervals at rest and during exercise. Neth J Med. 1973;16(2):70–78. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology are provided here courtesy of British Pharmacological Society

RESOURCES