NURS 6630: Psychopharmalogical Approaches to Treat Psychopathology

Assignment 1: Short Answer Assessment

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.

1. 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?

2. List 4 predictors of late onset generalized anxiety disorder.

3. List 4 potential neurobiology causes of psychotic major depression.

4. An episode of major depression is defined as a period lasting at least 2 weeks. List at least 5 symptoms required for the episode to occur. Be specific.

5. List 3 classes of drugs, with a corresponding example for each class, that precipitate insomnia. Be specific. 

Learning resources-6

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List 4 predictors of late-onset generalized anxiety disorder.

1. Having chronic physical problems like respiratory disorders, dyslipidemia, and having cognitive impairment.

2. Having severe mental problems like a phobia or even depression.

3. Having childhood adverse life events like having anxiety disorders.

4. Having earlier generalized anxiety disorder.

List 4 potential neurobiology causes of psychotic major depression.

1.Having stressful condition in the recent past

2. Having undergone adverse effects in their childhood experience.

3. Cumulative impacts of genes not matching.

4. Currently undergoing stressful conditions (Vollenweider & Preller, 2020).

An episode of major depression is defined as a period lasting at least 2 weeks. List at least 5 symptoms required for the episode to occur. Be specific.

The feeling of emptiness or hopelessness by the patient

Being very irritable and reoccurring outbursts when faced with small matters.

Lack of sleep is a common symptom or irregular slapping patterns; insomnia.

Loss of interest in previous hobbies.

Lack of personal grooming and hygiene.

List 3 classes of drugs, with a corresponding example for each class, that precipitate insomnia. Be specific.

1. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors example is Zoloft

2. A dopamine agonist's example is Apomorphine.

3. Anticonvulsants example is lamotrigine