Psychopharmacology Flashcards
How long should you continue anti-depressants treating a SINGLE episode of depression for resolution of symptoms?
6-9 months
What are discontinuation symptoms?
Sleep disturbance Insomnia, nightmares, excessive dreaming
GI symptoms Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
Affective symptoms Irritability, anxiety/agitation, low mood.
You get from SSRIs and SNRIs
What are the symptoms of serotonin syndrome?
Symptoms include high body temperature, agitation, increased reflexes, tremor, sweating, dilated pupils, and diarrhea.
Which drugs cause discontinuation symptoms?
Venlafaxine (SNRI) and Paroxitine (SSRI)
What does TCA’s work on?
Serotonin & Noradrenaline
What type of drug is duloxetine?
SNRI
Which class of anti-depressants can cause hyponatraemia?
SSRI
Which class of anti-depressants can cause GI disturbance?
SSRI, this may happen when medication is initiated and when the dose in increased.
Which class of anti-depressants can cause headaches?
All classes can cause headaches, especially TCAs, due to noradrenergic effect.
Which class of anti-depressants can cause hypotension, tachycardia & QTc prolongation?
SNRIs (work on Noradrenaline)
Which class of anti-depressants can cause a hypertensive crisis?
MAOIs, following tyrosine rich foods.
moclobemide, phenelzine, isocarboxazid and tranylcypromine
Which class of anti-depressants can cause discontinuation symptoms?
Venlafaxine & Paroxitine
Which class of anti-depressants can cause suicidality?
SSRIs, especially in young men <30. Window is often when they are started, with phase of high energy but low mood.
How long do we give anti-depressants to work?
2-4 weeks
Which drugs can you augment with, after dose escalation and switching drugs to tackle depression?
Add Lithium or Quetiapine, or Risperidone, or Aripiprazole
What combinations of anti-depressants can you use?
Use venlafaxine & mirtazapine or use Olanzapine & Fluoxetine.
Agomelatine is an anti-depressant, how does it work?
It is a melatonin receptor agonist and a selective serotonin-receptor antagonist; it does not affect the uptake of serotonin, noradrenaline or dopamine.
How does duloxetine work (SNRI)?
It inhibits the re-uptake of both serotonin and noradrenaline and is licensed to treat major depressive disorder.
What is flupentixol? (fluanxol)
It has anti-depressant properties when given by mouth in low doses.
How does Mirtazapine work?
It is a pre-synaptic alpha2-adrenoreceptor antagonist, increases central noradrenergic and serotonergic neurotransmission. It has few antimuscarinic effects but causes sedation during initial treatment.
How does reboxetine work?
It is a selective inhibitor of noradrenaline re-uptake, has been introduced for the treatment of depressive illness.
How does Venlafaxine work?
It is a serotonin and noradrenaline re-uptake inhibitor; it lacks the sedative and anti-muscarinic effects of the TCAs. Treatment with venlafaxine is associated with a higher rate of withdrawal effects compared with other anti-depressants.
What do anti-psychotics aim to work on but what can be the problem?
They work on the D2 receptor, however they are not specific or selective so it activates other receptors too which is why there are so many side effects.
What are D2 antagonism effects?
So too much dopamine in schizophrenics eg, so medication aims to block dopamine receptors.
What does D2 antagonists do to the mesolimbic pathway and what symptoms does this show?
Mesolimbic pathway (reward pathway) is associated with the positive symptoms of schizophrenia so D2 antagonists block this pathway. So schizophrenics have an overactive mesolimbic pathway to begin with). So they try and reduce the positive symptoms
What does the affect of anti-psychotics on the mesocortical pathway have on psychoisis and schizophrenia?
So it also blocks this pathway but this leads to a deterioration in cognition, affective symptoms, ie. increasing the negative symptoms.
What does the affect of anti-psychotics on the nigrostriatal pathway?
They also block this which causes EPSE, tardive dyskinesia and NMS
What does the affect of anti-psychotics on the tuberofundibular pathway?
It also blocks this pathway and this causes hyperprolactinaemia, sexual dysfunction and weight gain
What does blockade of the M1 receptors cause? (anti-psychotics do this also).
SE of constipation, blurred vision, dry mouth and drowsiness. (so blockage of parasympathetic pathway)
What does blockade of histaminergic receptors cause?
Sedation & weight gain
What does blockade of alpha adrenergic receptors cause? (blockage of sympathetic)
Tachycardia and changes in blood pressure
Is there a difference in efficacy between 1st and 2nd generation anti-psychotics?
No although except clozapine, but tolerability may vary.
How long should you assess a patient when started on new anti-psychotics?
Assess over 2-3 weeks then if theres no effect change the dose or medication or it there is some effect, continue the dose for 4 weeks.
When should you only consider clozapine?
After 2 anti-psychotics have been tried and unsuccessful
How long should anti-psychotic medication be continued for?
1-2 years
Which generation of anti-psychotic causes changes to seizure threshold?
Both generations
Which generation of anti-psychotic causes weight gain?
2nd generation
Which generation of anti-psychotic causes dyslipidaemia?
2nd generation