Sinus Node Dysfunction and Pulmonary Hypertension—“Double Trouble” with Lithium Therapy

Abstract

Lithium is considered a gold standard drug for the management of bipolar disorder and is a widely used mood-stabilizing drug in psychiatry practice. However, its side effects are of important concern. The narrow therapeutic index of lithium predispose to its toxicity/side effects, but various case reports and research has shown that adverse drug reactions can occur even in the therapeutic range. We present the case of a 56-year-old woman with no history of cardiac illness presenting with tachycardia-bradycardia syndrome along with moderate pulmonary hypertension. Patients recovered to sinus rhythm after withholding lithium therapy for 1 week while her mean pulmonary artery pressure remained the same at day 10 of drug withdrawal.

Keywords

pulmonary hypertension - lithium - sinus node dysfunction - bipolar disorder - adverse drug reaction - tachy-brady syndrome - ECG

Publication History

Article published online:
21 September 2021

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