The British Journal of Psychiatry 151: 847-848 (1987)
© 1987 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
Lithium toxicity and mefenamic acid. A possible interaction and the role of prostaglandin inhibition
RK Shelley
University of Dublin, Trinity College, Ireland.
An elderly patient with bipolar manic-depressive psychosis, stabilised
satisfactorily on lithium carbonate, developed acute symptoms of lithium
toxicity shortly after commencing mefenamic acid. Vulnerability factors for
the interaction may have included age, history of cardiac failure, and
impaired glomerular function. It is hypothesised that the interaction may
have been mediated by inhibition of prostaglandin activity.