Selected Antipsychotics/Lithium Interactions

This information is generalized and not intended as specific medical advice. Consult your healthcare professional before taking or discontinuing any drug or commencing any course of treatment.

Medical warning:

Moderate. These medicines may cause some risk when taken together. Contact your healthcare professional (e.g. doctor or pharmacist) for more information.

How the interaction occurs:

When your medicines are given together they may produce increased effects that may not be seen when either medicine is given alone.

What might happen:

You may experience symptoms of confusion, delirium, seizures, tremors, changes in mood, palpitations, a slow heart beat, or sleepwalking.

What you should do about this interaction:

Make sure your healthcare professionals (e.g. doctor or pharmacist) know that you are taking these medicines together and all other medicines you are taking.If you experience confusion, dizziness, irregular heartbeat, fainting, fever, tremors, weakness, sluggishness, mental or mood changes, seizures or other symptoms, contact your doctor. It may be necessary to monitor your treatment more closely or to change you to a different medicine.Your healthcare professionals (e.g. doctor or pharmacist) may already be aware of this interaction and may be monitoring you for it. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with them first.

View Reference
  • 1.Lithobid (lithium carbonate) US prescribing information. ANI Pharmaceuticals, Inc. May, 2018.
  • 2.Lithium carbonate US prescribing information. West-Ward Pharmaceuticals Corp. October, 2022.
  • 3.Cohen WJ, Cohen NH. Lithium carbonate, haloperidol, and irreversible brain damage. JAMA 1974 Dec 2;230(9):1283-7.
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  • 5.Swartz CM. Olanzapine-lithium encephalopathy. Psychosomatics 2001 Jul-Aug; 42(4):370.
  • 6.Haldol injection (haloperidol) US prescribing information. Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. November, 2020.
  • 7.Colvard MD, Gentry JD, Mullis DM. Neurotoxicity with combined use of lithium and haloperidol decanoate. Prim Care Companion CNS Disord 2013; 15(6):.
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  • 13.Biederman J, Lerner Y, Belmaker RH. Combination of lithium carbonate and haloperidol in schizo-affective disorder: a controlled study. Arch Gen Psychiatry 1979 Mar;36(3):327-33.
  • 14.Thomas C, Tatham A, Jakubowski S. Lithium/haloperidol combinations and brain damage. Lancet 1982 Mar 13;1(8272):626.
  • 15.Spring G, Frankel M. New data on lithium and haloperidol incompatibility. Am J Psychiatry 1981 Jun;138(6):818-21.
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CONDITIONS OF USE: The information in this database is intended to supplement, not substitute for, the expertise and judgment of healthcare professionals. The information is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, drug interactions or adverse effects, nor should it be construed to indicate that use of a particular drug is safe, appropriate or effective for you or anyone else. A healthcare professional should be consulted before taking any drug, changing any diet or commencing or discontinuing any course of treatment.