Key result
Chronic lithium toxicity can present with acute atrial fibrillation, which in this case resolved spontaneously after hemodialysis lowered serum lithium levels.
Why the study?
Can chronic lithium overdose cause acute atrial fibrillation?
Case Report (n=1)
No
Can chronic lithium overdose cause acute atrial fibrillation?
Chronic lithium overdose can rarely present with acute atrial fibrillation as a form of cardiotoxicity.
May warrant checking lithium levels in unexplained AF; single case leaves open broader prevalence and causality.
Lithium overdose primarily results in neurologic toxicity; however a number of important cardiac side effects have previously been reported, including nonspecific T-wave changes, ST-segment changes, QTc prolongation, sinus node dysfunction, atrioventricular blocks and ventricular dysrhythmias. Atrial fibrillation due to such toxicity is very uncommon. The current paper describes a patient who developed acute atrial fibrillation due to chronic lithium overdose.
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M et al. (2014) conducted a case report in Lithium toxicity (n=1). Lithium toxicity was evaluated on Development of acute atrial fibrillation. Chronic lithium toxicity can present with acute atrial fibrillation, which in this case resolved spontaneously after hemodialysis lowered serum lithium levels.
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