08_Mood Stabilizers Flashcards
Mood Stabilizing Drugs:
Two Main Examples
Lithium
Carbamazepine (Tegretol)
Lithium:
Uses
Drug treatment of choice for Bipolar Disorder
*Especially “Classic Bipolar Disorder”
Reduces/eliminates manic symptoms
Suppresses mood swings
Classic Bipolar Disorder
Manic episodes with elevated mood
[vs. irritable or dysphoric]
Absence of rapid cycling
Lithium:
Mechanism of Action
Related to reuptake of serotonin and norepinephrine
Lithium:
Side effects
G.I. upset (subsides within a few weeks)
Find hand tremor and shakiness
Restlessness
Polyurea
Polydipsia
Lithium:
Toxicity symptoms
Diarrhea
Ataxia
Drowsiness
Slurred speech
Confusion
Coarse tremor
Lithium:
Contraindicated for problems with which four organs?
Cardiovascular
Kidney
Liver
Thyroid
*also G.I. problems
Lithium:
Dietary recommendations
Avoid fluctuations in salt intake
Avoid caffeine, alcohol, other diuretics
Carbamazepine (Tegretol):
Uses
Bipolar Disorder Mania
Effective for people who’ve not responded to lithium
Maybe more effective than lithium for rapid cyclers and those of dysphoric mania
Carbamazepine (Tegretol):
Contraindications
Abnormalities in cardiac conduction
*slight risk for agranulocytosis
Anticonvulsant drugs useful as Mood Stabilizers
Carbamazepine (Tegretol)
Valproic acid (Depakote)
Clonazepam (Klonopin)
