Taking lithium may lower the risk of aortic calcification and coronary artery calcification in people with bipolar disorder, according to a
study in the
Journal of Affective Disorders.
Why It’s Relevant
Patients with bipolar disorder have more than twice the mortality from cardiovascular disease and live an average of eight to 10 years less than the general population largely because of increased cardiovascular risk. A build-up of calcium deposits in the aorta or coronary arteries can indicate underlying vascular stiffness and be a sign of early cardiovascular disease.
By the Numbers
- Researchers analyzed data from 177 patients 45 and older with bipolar disorder. Among the patients, 84 were receiving lithium therapy at the time of enrollment, while 93 were not prescribed lithium during the roughly 10-year study period.
- The patients taking lithium had 89% lower odds of aortic calcification and 81% lower odds of coronary artery calcification.
- Among the patients taking lithium, the researchers did not identify any dose-dependent differences in the prevalence of aortic or coronary artery calcification (doses ranged from <600mg to 1,200mg/day).
The Other Side
The study was retrospective and used a relatively small sample of Chinese patients, which could limit generalizability. In addition, aortic and coronary artery calcification were assessed using X-rays rather than CT-based calcium scoring. Chest X-rays have limited sensitivity for detecting mild or subclinical coronary calcium.
Takeaway Message
“These findings suggest that lithium may exert vasculoprotective, rather than pro-calcific, effects when administered within the therapeutic range,” the researchers wrote. “This interpretation is consistent with recent evidence suggesting that lithium has dose- and context-dependent cardiovascular effects, with therapeutic concentrations potentially associated with cardioprotective and vasculoprotective actions.”
Related Information
Source
Jingya Jiang, et al. Association between lithium treatment and vascular calcification in bipolar disorder: a retrospective cohort study. Journal of Affective Disorders. Published online August 31, 2026. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2026.122416
(Image: Getty Images/iStock/Rasi Bhadramani)