Anesthetic management of lithium-treated patients.

In order to establish a protocol for the anesthetic management of patients undergoing lithium therapy, one must consider the mechanisms of lithium action. Many proposals for different mechanisms appear in the literature which attempt to explain the pharmacology, physiology, metabolism, administration, dosage and adverse effects of lithium. This paper reviews the pertinent scientific and clinical information to enable the anesthesiologist to rationally administer anesthesia to patients on a lithium regimen.