Mental Health and Pharmacology Flashcards
Explain what an antihistamine is:
- agent that reduces the effects of histamine
- a compound found in all cells which is released in response to allergic inflammatory reactions
- histamine causes dilation of capillaries, a decrease in blood pressure, constriction of the bronchial tubes and an increase of secretion of gastric juices
- many of these responses cause unpleasant and unwanted reactions therefore antihistamines are taken to lessen the unpleasant effects of the histamine
Explain what dementia is:
- irreversible, progressive, cognitive brain disorder that results from damage to the brains structure
- people with dementia demonstrate a gradual loss of intellectual abilities, impaired judgement and memory and personality changes
- loss of ability to process information and make decisions
- social situations can be stressful due to inappropriate behaviour
- dementia can be caused by Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, cerebrovascular accidents and brain tumours
Explain toxicity:
- a reaction to a drug that is serious and potentially life threatening
- related to the level of a drug in the bloodstream
- may be caused by overdose of medication, cumulative build-up of a drug in the body over time or due to the body’s inability to excrete the drug
- toxic effects may include, idiosyncratic (peculiar or individual) or allergic in nature or may be an extreme extension of the therapeutic effect of the specific drug produced by overdosing
Explain schizophrenia:
- a type of psychotic disorder in which there is dissociation from reality
- most common symptom is psychosis (a severe mental disorder in which thought, and emotions are so impaired that contact is lost with external reality), often experienced in short, intense bursts
- patients may withdraw from reality into an inner world
Symptoms include: - delusions of harm
- hallucinations (hearing voices, seeing things that aren’t there)
- disordered thought processes
- decreased emotional expressiveness
- impaired social skills
- anxiety and depression
Explain bulimia:
- bulimia (nervosa) (BN) is a chronic morbid disorder involving repeated and secretive episodic bouts of eating characterised by uncontrolled rapid ingestion of large quantities of food over a short period (binge eating), followed by self-induced vomiting, use of laxatives or diuretics, fasting, or vigorous exercise in order to prevent weight gain; often accompanied by feelings of guilt, depression, or self-disgust.
Define a contraindication:
A known factor that prohibits the administration of a specific drug in a specific patient
Define a side-effect:
Known reactions to, or consequences of, a medication or therapy other than the desired effect
Define the generic name of a drug, e.g. what ‘type’ of name is it?
- scientific name
- legal name
Define the proprietary name of a drug?
- trademark
- the name belongs to the manufacturer
Explain a dysthymic disorder? Clue, it’s a depressive state.
Where a person may experience at least 2 years of depressed mood more days than not
Explain a cyclothymic disorder? Clue, it’s a depressive state.
A chronic (at least 2 years) low-level disturbance mood with periods of hypomania and numerous depressive episodes
Define antiemetics:
Agents that alleviate nausea and vomiting, and can overcome vertigo, motion sickness and labyrinthitis
Define antipyretics:
Agents that reduce fever e.g. aspirin and other non-narcotic analgesics
Explain agoraphobia:
Literally ‘fear of marketplace’, agoraphobia is an irrational fear of leaving the familiar setting of home or venturing into the open
Explain claustrophobia:
A morbid fear of being trapped or in an enclosed place, such as an elevator or tunner
