Drug therapy

Question 1

the first antipsychotic was created when? called? what do they do? what form do they come in?

Answer 1

1952, chlorpromazine, dampen symptoms and restore a normal degree of functioning by balancing neurotransmitters, tablet/injection

Question 2

typical antipsychotics are _ generation, they reduce the effects of _. they are _ _ that block _ _ action, so neurotransmitters bind but don’t stimulate. they eliminate _ and _ and reduce _. they have…

Answer 2

typical antipsychotics are first generation, they reduce the effects of dopamine. they are dopamine agonists that block D2 receptor action, so neurotransmitters bind but don’t stimulate. they eliminate hallucinations and delusions and reduce symptoms. they have undesirable side effects

Question 3

atypical antipsychotics are _ generation. they have a lower risk of _ _ and a beneficial effect on _ _. they are suitable for - patients. they act on the _ system _ blocking _ _ then rapidly dissociate to all…

Answer 3

atypical antipsychotics are second generation, they have a lower risk of side effects and a beneficial effect on negative symptoms. they are suitable for treatment-resistant patients. they act on the dopamine system temporarily blocking D2 receptors then rapidly dissociate to allow normal functioning

Question 4

E-ethical problems include … as …, in the US a tardive dyskinesia patient sufferer was subjected to large out-of-court settlement due to Human Rights violation “no one shall be subjected to inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment” - may end up…

Answer 4

ethical problems include negative effects may outweigh the positive effects as there are many harmful side effects including death/psychosocial consequences which may override elimination of symptoms. may end up worse than before

Question 5

E-advantages of atypical over typical antipsychotics (3)

Answer 5

• atypical don’t cause side effects
• patient is more likely to continue medication so more likely to see symptom reduction
• less likely to produce extrapyramidal effects, especially newer drugs e.g. olanzapine

Question 6

E-motivational deficits - explain Ross and Read’s findings

Answer 6

when patients were given anti-psychs they were encouraged to believe something was wrong with themselves. this discouraged the search for environmental factors influencing their condition e.g. family dysfunction. therefore solutions weren’t discovered so their future suffering was not reduced.

Question 7

E-antipsychs versus placebo, who found that less patients relapsed on anti-psychs compared to on a placebo. how many studies/patients did he look at. what were the %s

Answer 7

Leucht et al, 65 studies, 6,000 patients all on anti-psychs but some switched to placebo, after 12 months 64% of placebo patients relapsed compared to 27% of anti-psych patients

Question 8

Kapur et al said -% of D2 receptors must be blocked for the drug to be effective

Answer 8

60-70%