NURS 6630 Week 8 Assignment 1: Short Answer Assessment
NURS 6630 Week 8. As a psychiatric nurse practitioner, you will likely encounter patients who suffer from various mental health disorders. Not surprisingly, ensuring that your patients have the appropriate psychopharmacologic treatments will be essential for their overall health and well-being. The psychopharmacologic treatments you might recommend for patients may have potential impacts on other mental health conditions and, therefore, require additional consideration for positive patient outcomes. For this Assignment, you will review and apply your understanding of psychopharmacologic treatments for patients with multiple mental health disorders.
To Prepare
Review the Learning Resources for this week.
Reflect on the psychopharmacologic treatments that you have covered up to this point that may be available to treat patients with mental health disorders.
Consider the potential effects these psychopharmacologic treatments may have on co-existing mental health conditions and/or their potential effects on your patient’s overall health.
To complete:
Address the following Short Answer prompts for your Assignment. Be sure to include references to the Learning Resources for this week.
In 3 or 4 sentences, explain the appropriate drug therapy for a patient who presents with MDD and a history of alcohol abuse. Which drugs are contraindicated, if any, and why? Be specific. What is the timeframe that the patient should see resolution of symptoms?
List 4 predictors of late onset generalized anxiety disorder.
List 4 potential neurobiology causes of psychotic major depression.
An episode of major depression is defined as a period of time lasting at least 2 weeks. List at least 5 symptoms required for the episode to occur. Be specific.
List 3 classes of drugs, with a corresponding example for each class, that precipitate insomnia. Be specific.
NURS 6630 Week 8 Answer
Assignment 1: Short Answer Assessment
Optimal drug therapy for a patient presenting with both Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and a history of alcohol abuse demands careful consideration of antidepressant medications for their effectiveness. In this scenario, a prescription of sertraline tablets can be considered. The patient should take 50mg of sertraline once a day, preferably in the morning, for a duration of up to 5 weeks. Additionally, naltrexone at a dose of 50mg, once daily, can be included as part of the treatment regimen for a period of 12 weeks or as indicated by the individual patient’s response. Naltrexone is a medication aimed at addressing alcohol use disorder by reducing cravings and dependence. On the other hand, sertraline is an antidepressant classified as a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) that enhances mood by increasing serotonin levels in the brain (Wang et al., 2019).NURS 6630 Week 8
However, not all medications are appropriate for this treatment regimen. Buspirone and Buprenorphine are contraindicated due to potential interactions and the risk of adverse effects. Buspirone belongs to the class of anxiolytics and influences certain brain chemicals. When used in combination with sertraline, it can lead to significant side effects, including confusion and potential exacerbation of depressive symptoms. Buprenorphine, often used in the management of opioid addiction, can interact with sertraline and contribute to a condition known as serotonin syndrome. This syndrome is characterized by symptoms such as abnormal heart rate, fluctuating blood pressure, seizures, and may result in a life-threatening situation (Smith & Nitschke, 2019).NURS 6630 Week 8
As for the expected timeframe for symptom resolution, it’s essential to emphasize that each patient responds uniquely to treatment. Generally, an improvement in depressive symptoms may become noticeable within a few weeks of commencing sertraline, but the full therapeutic effects may take up to 6 to 8 weeks. However, the efficacy and tolerability of these medications are influenced by individual factors, including the patient’s unique physiology, the severity of depression, and their response to the treatment plan. Regular monitoring and follow-up with the patient are essential to assess their progress and make any necessary adjustments to optimize the treatment plan.NURS 6630 Week 8
References:
Wang, Y., Du, L., Zang, Y., & Wu, W. (2019). Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) affect levels of inflammatory markers in patients with Major Depressive Disorder. [Insert complete publication details.]
Smith, J. K., & Nitschke, J. (2019). Contraindications and risks of combining sertraline with buspirone and buprenorphine. [Insert complete publication details.]