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Drug reference

Liothyronine sodium

Thyroid Hormone · Thyroid disorders

Also known as L-T3, CYTOMEL, TRIOSTAT

Thyroid HormoneThyroid disorders
CDSCO approved
EXCRETION
—
not curated
INTERACTIONS
—
none in our sources
PREGNANCY
—
not curated

Mechanism

Liothyronine sodium has a similar action to levothyroxine sodium but is more rapidly metabolized, resulting in a more rapid effect. It directly replaces endogenous triiodothyronine (T3), exerting its effects by binding to thyroid hormone receptors in target tissues. Normalization of circulating TSH may rely on both direct T3 effects and the local generation of T3 from circulating T4, which is not provided by Liothyronine monotherapy.

Indications

HypothyroidismSevere hypothyroid states when a rapid response is desiredHypothyroid comaPreparing a thyroid cancer patient for 131I therapy

Dosing

Adult
For athyreotic individuals: 10 to 15 micrograms three times per day typically yields a normal serum free T3. By intravenous injection is the treatment of choice in hypothyroid coma.

Pharmacokinetics

Onset
Effects develop after a few hours
Peak effect
Peak serum levels 2-4 hours following oral ingestion
Duration
Effects disappear within 24 to 48 hours of discontinuing treatment
Half-life
0.75 days
Bioavailability
Nearly 100%
Metabolism
More rapidly metabolised than levothyroxine sodium

Drug interactions

12 additional unreviewed or low-confidence interactions hidden because their provenance or source detail is insufficient.

Related guidelines

Other Thyroid Hormone drugs

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Textbook-sourced·Sources: BNF·Updated: 2026-05-10