When managing symptoms of lithium toxicity, which procedure is often required?

When managing symptoms of lithium toxicity, dialysis is often required. Lithium is a medication used primarily for the treatment of bipolar disorder, but it has a narrow therapeutic range, meaning that there is a fine line between an effective dose and a toxic dose. When levels of lithium become excessively elevated in the body, it can lead to severe toxicity, which may manifest through various symptoms such as tremors, confusion, seizures, and in severe cases, can lead to coma or renal failure.

Dialysis is a medical procedure used to remove waste products and excess substances from the blood when the kidneys are unable to adequately perform this function. In cases of lithium toxicity, especially when levels are significantly high or if the victim exhibits severe symptoms, hemodialysis is often employed. This helps rapidly decrease lithium levels in the bloodstream and mitigate the risk of further complications.

While liver transplant, CPR, and cognitive behavioral therapy are important in other medical contexts, they are not relevant or effective treatments for lithium toxicity. Liver transplant is not applicable since lithium is primarily processed by the kidneys, not the liver. CPR is a life-saving technique for cases of cardiac arrest but does not address lithium toxicity specifically. Cognitive behavioral therapy is a form of psychotherapy that focuses on changing negative thought patterns but is