The Diuretic Effects of Lithium Salts. Absence of Side Effects

Lithium salts are known to posses antidiuretic properties as antidiuretic hormone antagonists affecting adenyl cyclase and may be considered collecting duct diuretics.(1) Nevertheless, fear of potential nephrotoxicity(2) has limited their use in clinical practice and they have been used almost esclusively as antidepressants. The strict monitorization of psychiatric patients undergoing long term treatment with lithium carbonate enabled us to evaluate the diuretic properties and secondary effects of lithium salts.