Final answer:
Acute lithium toxicity includes symptoms like dizziness, nausea, and muscle pain, with severe cases potentially leading to jaundice, seizures, and shock. Treatment involves hydration, potential use of diuretics, and in critical cases, hemodialysis to remove lithium from the body while monitoring vital functions.
Step-by-step explanation:
Acute Lithium Toxicity
The signs and symptoms of acute lithium toxicity can vary but commonly include dizziness, fever, chills, headache, myalgia (muscle pain), nausea, vomiting, constipation, and fatigue. In moderate to severe cases, the individual may experience additional complications such as jaundice, rash, mucosal hemorrhaging, seizures, and shock, which can be fatal if not treated promptly.
Treatment for Acute Lithium Toxicity
The treatment for acute lithium toxicity focuses on stabilizing the patient and removing the lithium from the body. This can be achieved through hydration to enhance lithium excretion, use of medications like diuretics if needed, and in severe cases, hemodialysis may be required to more quickly remove lithium from the bloodstream. Monitoring and support of vital functions are also critical in the management of acute lithium toxicity.