Week 10 - Mood Stabilizers

Question 1

What is the mechanism of action of lithium?

Answer 1

Believed to replace sodium ions during depolarization to stop impulses.

Question 2

What are the indications for mood stabilizers?

Answer 2

Bipolar disorders
Acute mania
Mood stability in PTSD
Drug-resistant depression

Question 3

Which lab value should be regularly checked with Valproate?

Answer 3

CBC

Question 4

TCAs with which mood stabilizer can contribute to cardiotoxicity?

Answer 4

Valproate

Question 5

Lamotrigine and which mood stabilizer given concurrently increases the risk of SJS?

Answer 5

Valproate

Question 6

Lithium serum levels and body fluids are ___________

Answer 6

Inverse

When fluids and sodium are depleted, levels increase.

Water toxicity lowers lithium levels.

Question 7

Before starting lithium sodium, getting a baseline ____________ level is critical.

Answer 7

kidney function

Question 8

Regular ____________ is required with lithium sodium due to its propensity to cause ______________.

Answer 8

ECG monitoring
Arrhythmias

Question 9

When should lithium serum levels be drawn?

Answer 9

14 days after beginning treatment
14 days after every dose change
After stability is achieved, every 3-6 months (12 hours after last dose)

Question 10

The therapeutic index for lithium is ___________.
The therapeutic index for valproate is ___________.

Answer 10

1. Narrow (0.6 to 1.5 mEq/L)
2. Wider than lithium

Question 11

The treatment of choice for classic bipolar mood disorder is?

Answer 11

Lithium

Question 12

Use of this mood stabilizer during the first trimester of pregnancy is associated with neural tube defects and spina bifida?

Answer 12

Valproate