Lithium & Nephrogenic Diabetes

Lithium is a metal used to treat a variety of psychiatric disorders. Its usage can lead to certain side effects, one of them being nephrogenic diabetes insipidus or nephrogenic diabetes. It can be an embarrassing side effect characterized by excessive urination. Lithium intake and nephrogenic diabetes need to be monitored by health care providers to prevent complications.

Lithium

• Lithium belongs to a group of elements called alkali metals. It is the lightest metal as well as one of softest. A variety of industrial uses exist for lithium, but for many years it was considered for medicinal treatments. Lithium affects the flow of sodium through the body and a change in sodium can affect mania or excitation in a person. Since the 1950s, lithium has been considered effective in the treatment of psychiatric disorders, such as depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

Nephrogenic Diabetes

• In general, diabetes is characterized by excessive urination. Unlike the more widely known form of diabetes--diabetes mellitus, a disease that is characterized by high blood sugar levels--nephrogenic diabetes is caused by the failure of antidiuretic hormone, ADH, to properly control kidney tubules. Kidney tubules make up a part of the kidney that regulates the excretion or reabsorption of water. In nephrogenic diabetes, kidney tubules no longer function properly and large amounts of urine are passed.

Cause

• Factors that can cause nephrogenic diabetes are the overuse of certain drugs, electrolyte disorders and obstructions to urination. Long-term lithium usage is considered a factor in causing nephrogenic diabetes. A major physiological change, like one that might occur during surgery, is thought to promote the onset of this form of diabetes when the patient is on lithium. Nephrogenic diabetes can also be a genetic disorder that affects men, though women may carry the gene.

Symptoms

• Symptoms of nephrogenic diabetes are excessive urination and excessive thirst. If no or insufficient amounts of water are put back into the body, the following symptoms may result: dehydration, fatigue, irritability, muscle pain, headache, low body temperature, rapid heart rate and weight loss. High ADH levels may be present. High concentrations of particles in blood serum or low concentrations of particles in urine may also be found.

Treatment

• Disuse of lithium may alleviate symptoms. Hydrochlorothiazide is another medication that can ease the symptoms caused by nephrogenic diabetes. Treatment of this form of diabetes acquired from lithium usage may be long term or short term. Any treatment of nephrogenic diabetes should be provided by a health care provider.