The nurse is teaching a group of patients about the moodstabilising medication, lithium carbonate. Which of the following medications should she instruct the patients to avoid because of the increased risk of lithium toxicity?

Option 3 : Diuretics

Concept:

• Mood stabilising Medications -> These are the medication which are given to patients who experience intense and sustained mood swings.
• Lithium is one of the active components of these medications.
• People suffering from diseases like bipolar disorder are prescribes these classes of drugs.

Explanation:

• Excess of any substance in the body has its own harmful effects.
• Mood stabilizing agent have lithium as their important components.
• Diuretics like thiazide increase sodium reabsorption.
• This lowers the clearance of lithium from the body.
• Thus, elevating the serum levels of lithium significantly.
• Elevated levels of lithium in the body could lead to lithium toxicity.

• Hypoglycemic agents inhibit potassium efflux, which has no significance in causing lithium toxicity.
• Antibiotics inhibit bacterial replication which has no role in lithium toxicity.
• Antacids work to avoid acid reflux in the esophagus by neutralizing the excessive acidic content in the stomach, this has no role in promoting lithium toxicity.