Impact of active monitoring on lithium management in Norfolk.

Background: Lithium has been used in the fields of rheumatology and psychiatry since the 1800s and it is now generally considered to be a gold standard treatment for bipolar disorders. However, lithium is known to have significant side effects and requires close serum level monitoring to ensure levels remain within the therapeutic range to minimize the risk of serious adverse effects or toxicity. This article reviews the monitoring of lithium and reports on the implementation of a regional lithium register and database within Norfolk.