Question

Your patient is a​ 22-year-old female who has increased her daily dose of lithium without her​ physician's knowledge. she is complaining of generalized​ weakness, vomiting, and diarrhea. you notice that her speech is slurred. heart rate​ = 68 and​ irregular, respirations​ = 16, blood pressure​ = 104/70, sao

Answer 1

Lithium is a dangerous drug because the margin of safety is thin. That means the difference between toxic level and the therapeutic level is small. This is why lithium level should be monitored closely.

The patient is showing lithium toxicity sign so you need to give her the sodium bicarbonate. Sodium bicarbonate will make lithium secreted in the urine, lowering the lithium level in the blood.