Drug therapy

Question 1

What are the 2 types of antipsychotic drugs?

Answer 1

Typical and atypical

Question 2

How do antipsychotic drugs work?

Answer 2

Reduce dopamine transmissions in the brain by binding to D2 receptors to block the messages from being passed on

Question 3

What are atypical drugs?

Answer 3

Newer, more modern drugs such as Clozapine and Risperidone

Question 4

What are typical drugs?

Answer 4

Older drugs such as Thorazine

Question 5

What is Chlorpromazine (Thorazine)?

Answer 5

A typical drug (1950s)
Size of doses has decreased over 50 years
1000mg is a common dose
Cheap

Question 6

How is Chlorpromazine (Thorazine) effective?

Answer 6

Blocks D2 receptors in the dopamine pathways
Reduces positive symptoms
As effective as newer drugs
It is a sedative (reduces anxiety)
Little effect on negative symptoms

Question 7

What are the side effects of Chlorpromazine (Thorazine)?

Answer 7

Agitation
Weight gain
Itching
Tardive dyskinesia (Involuntary facial movements)
Neuroleptic malignant syndrome (Coma, high temperature, delirium)

Question 8

What is Clozapine?

Answer 8

Atypical drug
Since 1970s
Lower doses than typical antipsychotics
Only used when others fail

Question 9

How is Clozapine effective?

Answer 9

Works significantly better than other drugs
It binds to the D2, Serotonin and glutamate receptors
It reduced both positive and negative symptoms
Stabilises mood and anxiety
Stays on D2 receptors for a short time and dissipates
Useful for both depressed and anxious patients

Question 10

What are the side effects of Clozapine?

Answer 10

Reduced risk of tardive dyskinesia and neuroleptic malignant syndrome
Drowsiness
Fatal rare blood condition

Question 11

What is Risperidone?

Answer 11

Since 1990s

Effective in low doses

Question 12

How is Risperidone effective?

Answer 12

Acts on the dopamine and serotonin receptors
Has the strongest bind on D2 (lower doses needed)
Reduces positive and (sometimes) negative symptoms

Question 13

What are the side effects of Risperidone?

Answer 13

Fewer side effect due to a lower dose
Less likely to get tardive dyskinesia 
No risk fatality
Metabolic changes (weight gain)
Sluggishness

Question 14

What are the similarities between typical and atypical drugs?

Answer 14

• Block receptors
• Reduced positive symptoms
• All have negative side effects

Question 15

What are the differences between typical and atypical drugs?

Answer 15

• Atypical help with negative symptoms
• Atypical have less side effects
• Atypical have smaller doses
• Each have different side effects

Question 16

What are the strengths of drug therapy?

Answer 16

Treatment does what it claims to do

-A study with Clozapine found that it worked for 30-50% of patients where typical drugs have failed.

Question 17

What are the limitations of drug therapy?

Answer 17

Drug treatment relies on the dopamine hypothesis being true
-Just because dopamine is associated with Schizophrenia does not mean it causes all of the symptoms

Patients suffer serious side effects
-Therefore the benefits may not outweigh the side effects

Can be criticised using the ‘chemical cosh’ argument
-Unethical because drugs can just make patients easier to manage. It may not be good as an actual treatment