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Lithium Discontinuation and Reintroduction

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The Science and Practice of Lithium Therapy

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Abstract

Stopping medication in patients who are lithium responders is associated with a high risk of early recurrence of bipolar illness, especially mania, in the following months. A shorter time to recurrence has been shown after rapid versus slow discontinuation. A loss of the preventive effect of lithium on suicidal risk has also been shown after lithium discontinuation. Possible refractoriness to treatment was described more than 20 years ago following lithium discontinuation; however, available data do not provide convincing evidence that lithium is less effective when it is reintroduced after treatment discontinuation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pharmacie Interhospitalière de la Côte, Chemin du Crêt 2, 1110, Morges, Switzerland

    Nicolas Schaad

  2. Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, CH-1211, Geneva, Switzerland

    Nicolas Schaad

  3. Division of Pyschiatric Specialties, Mood Disorders Unit, Department of Mental Health and Psychiatry, University Hospitals of Geneva, and Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Rue de Lausanne 20bis, CH- 1201, Geneva, Switzerland

    Jean-Michel Aubry MD

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  1. Nicolas Schaad
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Correspondence to Jean-Michel Aubry MD .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Academic Department of Psychiatry, Sydney Medical School The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia

    Gin S. Malhi

  2. Nightingale Hospitals Paris-Clinique du Château de Garches, Consultant Service Hospitalo-Universitaire Centre Hospitalier Sainte-Anne, Paris, France

    Marc Masson

  3. Publique – Hôpitaux de Paris, INSERM UMR-S1144 Paris-Diderot University, Paris, France

    Frank Bellivier

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Schaad, N., Aubry, JM. (2017). Lithium Discontinuation and Reintroduction. In: Malhi, G., Masson, M., Bellivier, F. (eds) The Science and Practice of Lithium Therapy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-45923-3_14

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-45923-3_14

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-45921-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-45923-3

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