Drug therapy

Question 1

Typical Antipsychotics

Answer 1

-Phenothazines such as chlorpromazine which reduce levels of dopamine in the brain by blocking absorption of dopamine from receptors, has a calming, sedative effect reducing positive symptoms and calming distress, have more severe side effects like dry mouth, weight gain and tardive dyskenesia

Question 2

Atypical antipsychotics

Answer 2

-Antipsychotics like aripiprazole and risperdone developed in the 1990s, act on serotonin receptors as well as dopamine receptors and are thought to have less severe side effects than typical antipsychotics and are more effective at reducing negative symptoms but had more severe side effects like blood clots and sudden cardiac death

Question 3

Side effects of antipsychotics

Answer 3

Obesity, diabeties, sedation, dry mouth, blood clot, cardiac death, lack of sexual function

Question 4

Who found that typical antipsychotics were as effective as atypical antipsychotics and better at treating treatment resistant schizophrenia

Answer 4

Marder

Question 5

Who found that antipsychotics have a high discontinuation rate because of side effects

Answer 5

Leiberman

Question 6

Strength of drug therapies-practical app

Answer 6

-Improves everyday functioning, decreases distress from negative symptoms-benefits the individual improving their quality of life but also society as a whole as they can contribute to the economy and function, less of an NHS burden as they reduce hospitalisation rates.

Question 7

Limitation of drug therapies-Treatment resistant schizophrenia

Answer 7

-They are not effective at treating all patients with schizophrenia, some patients are treatment resistant and drug therapies do not reduce their symptoms suggesting it lacks effectiveness and appropriateness as it cannot treat or improve around 34% of schizophrenia cases.

Question 8

Limitation of drug therapies-side effects

Answer 8

-Drug therapies can have severe long term side effects and even be fatal, this means they have a high discontinuation rate and thus may be limited in effectiveness, it also means they can negatively impact the quality of life of those suffering and cause long term health issues like diabetes putting a greater burden on NHS-Psychological therapies or other experimental drug therapies with less side effects may be more appropriate as a long term treatment, however they do still have high effectivity rates.