1.1.2 DT Anti Psychotic drugs (Bi)

Question 1

What is anti psychotic medication?

Answer 1

Medication used to treat serious mental illnesses such as schizophrenia

Question 2

How many people have schizophrenia?

Answer 2

1 in 100

Question 3

What are the positive symptoms of schizophrenia?

Answer 3

• hallucinations
• delusions
(The seeing/tasting/hearing things that aren’t there)

Question 4

What are the negative symptoms of schizophrenia?

Answer 4

Lack of something e.g a lack of emotion causing the individual to isolate themself

Question 5

What is schizophrenia not?

Answer 5

Split personality

Question 6

What are psychotic breaks?

Answer 6

Temporary breaks from reality experienced by those with schizophrenia

Question 7

What are transitional anti psychotic drugs known as?

Answer 7

Neuroleptic drugs

Question 8

How long have neuroleptic drugs been around?

Answer 8

Since the mid 1900s

Question 9

How do neuroleptic drugs work in the treatment of schizophrenia?

Answer 9

reduce the activity of the neurotransmitter dopamine by blocking its post synaptic receptor sites, thus reducing the positive symptoms of schizophrenia

Question 10

What is dopamine associated with?

Answer 10

High levels of dopamine are connected with the positive symptoms of schizophrenia

Question 11

What are newer anti psychotic drugs known as?

Answer 11

Atypical anti psychotic drugs

Question 12

Give an example of an atypical drug:

Answer 12

Clozapine

Question 13

How do atypical antipsychotic drugs work?

Answer 13

They block receptors in the brain for several neurotransmitters, including serotonin. Clozapine temporarily blocks dopamine receptors, after which dopamine levels return to pre-drug levels

Question 14

What occurs in a placebo trial?

Answer 14

Random allocation of individuals to the drug or placebo group

Question 15

What is the best way to eliminate researcher bias?

Answer 15

A double blind trial, this also means fewer demand characteristics on the participants part

Question 16

What does the placebo group act as?

Answer 16

It is the control group it acts as the baseline for comparison

Question 17

How would you control EVs in a placebo trial using patients with schizophrenia?

Answer 17

You would use patients of the same age, who have been suffering with schizophrenia for a similar amount of time

Question 18

What is a meta analysis?

Answer 18

Gathering and analysing existing data

Question 19

How much do neuroleptic drugs reduce the positive symptoms of schizophrenia by?

Answer 19

75%

Question 20

What percentage of patients are atypical drugs effective in reducing the positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia?

Answer 20

50% of patients who don’t respond to neuroleptic drugs

Question 21

How many patients respond to neither neuroleptic or atypical drugs?

Answer 21

12.5% or one eighth

Question 22

What are the advantages of antipsychotic drugs?

Answer 22

• patients no longer need to be institutionalised
• patients function better in society
• patients can engage in other forms of treatment

Question 23

What side effects do neuroleptic drugs have?

Answer 23

• grogginess (50%)
• dry mouth (16%)
• blurred vision (16%)

Question 24

What do 10-20% of patients treated with neuroleptic drugs develop?

Answer 24

Tardive dyskinesia - involuntary movements of the mouth and tongue

Question 25

What is drug therapy otherwise known as?

Answer 25

Chemotherapy

Question 26

What side effect can clozapine (atypical drugs) develop?

Answer 26

A fatal blood disease in 1-2% of patients, this requires weekly white blood cell monitoring and can cause weight gain

Question 27

Why might schizophrenic patients not comply with treatment?

Answer 27

• don’t think they need it
• feel better
• delusions - think it is poison
• side effects

Question 28

What is revolving door syndrome?

Answer 28

Re-admission of patients after they discontinue their medication

Question 29

What is the relapse rate of schizophrenic patients not taking their medication?

Answer 29

70% in the first year

Question 30

Should patients be given antipsychotic medication without consent? E. G sectioned patients

Answer 30

Not in a fit state to decide themselves and if the doctor thinks it is best
But what about the side effects? Free will?