Many guidelines rank lithium first-line in bipolar disorder, but its use has declined since the 1990’s as other mood stabilizers have become available. New research calls these trends to question, finding that patients live longer, function better, and have fewer mood episodes, hospitalizations, and suicide attempts on lithium compared to other medications. Yet, lithium is not for everyone, and in this session you will learn the characteristics of an excellent lithium responder. We will review new research on lithium’s medical risks as well as findings on potential medical benefits, including anti-viral and anti-COVID effects and lower risks of dementia, cancer, and stroke. Contrary to its reputation, lithium is often well tolerated, and in recent studies had higher rates of patient adherence than other mood stabilizers. Participants will learn specific strategies to manage lithium’s side effects, including nausea, tremor, weight gain, erectile dysfunction, acne, psoriasis, nephrogenic diabetes insipidus, renal impairment, and hyperparathyroidism. They will learn how to personalize the dose based on the patient’s diagnosis, age, ethnicity, and drug interactions.
Format
Recorded webinar, non-interactive, self-paced distance learning activity.
This presentation was recorded at the 2024 American Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting.
Learning Objectives
- Recognize lithium’s efficacy in 1) Bipolar depression, mania, and maintenance, 2) Unipolar depression, and 3) Suicide prevention
- Identify the characteristics of an ideal lithium responder
- Appreciate the difference between lithium’s short-term and long-term effects
- Understand the medical risks with lithium as well as new research on its medical benefits, including anti-viral effects and lower risks of dementia, cancer, stroke, and overall mortality.
- Gain skill in dosing lithium and managing its adverse effects and drug interactions
Target Audience
Medical Students, Residents/Fellows, Psychiatrists
Estimated Time to Complete
Estimated Duration: 1.5 hours
Begin Date: November 1, 2025
End Date: November 1, 2028
How to Earn Credit
Participants who wish to earn 1.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit ™ or a certificate of participation may do so by completing all sections of the course including the evaluation. After evaluating the program, course participants will be provided with an opportunity to claim hours of participation and print an official CME certificate (physicians) or certificate of participation (non-physicians) showing the event date and hours earned.
Continuing Education Credit
In support of improving patient care, the American Psychiatric Association is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
Physicians
The APA designates this enduring activity for a maximum of 1.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit ™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Faculty and Planner Disclosures
The American Psychiatric Association adheres to the ACCME’s Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Medical Education. Any individuals in a position to control the content of a CME activity — including faculty, planners, reviewers or others — are required to disclose all relevant financial relationships with ineligible entities (commercial interests). All relevant conflicts of interest have been mitigated prior to the commencement of the activity.
Program Presenters
Program Planners
- Vishal Madaan, MD. Chief of Education and Deputy Medical Director, APA.
Accessibility for Participants with Disabilities
The American Psychiatric Association is committed to ensuring accessibility of its website to people with disabilities. If you have trouble accessing any of APA’s online resources, please contact us at 202-559-3900 for assistance.
Technical Requirements
This internet-based CME activity is best experienced using any of the following:
- The latest and 2nd latest public versions of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Safari
- Internet Explorer 11+
This Web site requires that JavaScript and session cookies be enabled. Certain activities may require additional software to view multimedia, presentation, or printable versions of the content. These activities will be marked as such and will provide links to the required software. That software may be: Adobe Acrobat Reader, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Windows Media Player.
Optimal System Configuration:
- Browser: Google Chrome (latest and 2nd latest version), Safari (latest and 2nd latest version), Internet Explorer 11.0+, Firefox (latest and 2nd latest version), or Microsoft Edge (latest and 2nd latest version)
- Operating System: Windows versions 8.1+, Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) +, Android (latest and 2nd latest version), or iOS/iPad OS (latest and 2nd latest version)
- Internet Connection: 1 Mbps or higher
Minimum Requirements:
- Windows PC: Windows 8.1 or higher; 1 GB (for 32-bit)/2 GB (for 64-bit) or higher RAM; Microsoft DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM driver; audio playback with speakers for programs with video content
- Macintosh: Mac OS X 10.5 or higher with latest updates installed; Intel, PowerPC G5, or PowerPC G4 (867MHz or faster) processor; 512 MB or higher RAM; audio playback with speakers for programs with video content
For assistance: Contact educme@psych.org for questions about this activity | Contact learningcenter@psych.org for technical assistance