NURS 6630 PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
COMPREHENSIVE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS SET
A+
✔✔Atypical Antipsychotics also block Dopamine receptors in the Nigrostriatal pathway
and can cause these symptoms: - ✔✔Extrapyramidal symptoms (dyskinesias and
dystonic reactions, tardive dyskinesia, pseudoparkinsonism, akinesia, akathisia, and
neuroleptic malignant syndrome)
✔✔Acute extrapyramidal symptoms include: - ✔✔Dystonia, Akathisia, and
Pseudoparkinsonism
✔✔Tardive (delayed) extrapyramidal symptoms include: - ✔✔Tardive Dyskinesia and
Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome
✔✔This generation of Antipsychotics binds more loosely to D2 receptors and can get
"kicked off' if there is a lot of Dopamine around resulting in less extrapyramidal
symptoms: - ✔✔Second-Generation Antipsychotics (Atypical)
✔✔14. First generation Antipsychotics (Typical) bind more tightly to D2 receptors and
are not "kicked off" when excess Dopamine is around. This characteristic makes them
more likely to cause: - ✔✔Extrapyramidal Symptoms (dyskinesias and dystonic
reactions, tardive dyskinesia, pseudoparkinsonism, akinesia, akathisia, and neuroleptic
malignant syndrome)
✔✔Less severe neurotransmitter side effects of Atypical Antipsychotics include: -
✔✔ORTHOSTATIC HYPOTENSION (Alpha-1 receptor inhibition), ANTICHOLINERGIC
SIDE EFFECTS (muscarinic receptor inhibition), and SEDATION (H1 receptor
inhibition).
, ✔✔Metabolic side effects of Atypical Antipsychotics include: - ✔✔Weight gain,
dyslipidemia, hyperglycemia, and increased cardiovascular risk
✔✔These two Atypical Antipsychotics tend to cause the most weight gain: -
✔✔clozapine and olanzapine
✔✔This Atypical Antipsychotic has the least impact on weight gain: - ✔✔aripiprazole
✔✔Two serious medication specific side effects of clozapine include: - ✔✔Seizures and
Agranulocytosis (leading to frequent and overwhelming infections)
✔✔These two labs must be monitored regularly with use of clozapine: - ✔✔WBC and
ANC
✔✔Due to this medications possible side effects of Agranulocytosis and subsequent risk
for infections, this Atypical Antipsychotic is only used if a client has not responded to
other Antipsychotics: - ✔✔clozapine
✔✔Cardiac side effects of Atypical Antipsychotics (especially ziprasidone) include: -
✔✔Prolongation of the QT interval (normal = 0.4-0.44 seconds)
✔✔This Atypical Antipsychotic has the greatest effect on QT interval prolongation and
should not be prescribed for people with arrhythmias: - ✔✔ziprasidone
✔✔Lithium is primarily used in the treatment of: - ✔✔Bipolar Disorder
✔✔The mechanism of action for this medication is unknown but it acts as a mood
stabilizer that can smooth out the "highs and lows": - ✔✔Lithium
✔✔Symptoms of Manic episodes: - ✔✔energetic, overly happy/optimistic, high self-
esteem, reckless behavior, pressured speech, racing thoughts, delusions of grandeur
✔✔Used as maintenance therapy in Bipolar Disorder to decrease the frequency and
magnitude of ups and downs: - ✔✔Lithium
✔✔Sometimes used for the treatment of Acute Manic Episodes, although the treatment
of choice is Antipsychotics: - ✔✔Lithium
✔✔This mood stabilizer is indicated for Unipolar Depression that does not respond to
antidepressants: - ✔✔Lithium
✔✔This mood stabilizer is taken orally, absorbed rapidly from the GI tract, is not
metabolized by the liver, and is almost exclusively excreted by the kidneys: - ✔✔Lithium
COMPREHENSIVE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS SET
A+
✔✔Atypical Antipsychotics also block Dopamine receptors in the Nigrostriatal pathway
and can cause these symptoms: - ✔✔Extrapyramidal symptoms (dyskinesias and
dystonic reactions, tardive dyskinesia, pseudoparkinsonism, akinesia, akathisia, and
neuroleptic malignant syndrome)
✔✔Acute extrapyramidal symptoms include: - ✔✔Dystonia, Akathisia, and
Pseudoparkinsonism
✔✔Tardive (delayed) extrapyramidal symptoms include: - ✔✔Tardive Dyskinesia and
Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome
✔✔This generation of Antipsychotics binds more loosely to D2 receptors and can get
"kicked off' if there is a lot of Dopamine around resulting in less extrapyramidal
symptoms: - ✔✔Second-Generation Antipsychotics (Atypical)
✔✔14. First generation Antipsychotics (Typical) bind more tightly to D2 receptors and
are not "kicked off" when excess Dopamine is around. This characteristic makes them
more likely to cause: - ✔✔Extrapyramidal Symptoms (dyskinesias and dystonic
reactions, tardive dyskinesia, pseudoparkinsonism, akinesia, akathisia, and neuroleptic
malignant syndrome)
✔✔Less severe neurotransmitter side effects of Atypical Antipsychotics include: -
✔✔ORTHOSTATIC HYPOTENSION (Alpha-1 receptor inhibition), ANTICHOLINERGIC
SIDE EFFECTS (muscarinic receptor inhibition), and SEDATION (H1 receptor
inhibition).
, ✔✔Metabolic side effects of Atypical Antipsychotics include: - ✔✔Weight gain,
dyslipidemia, hyperglycemia, and increased cardiovascular risk
✔✔These two Atypical Antipsychotics tend to cause the most weight gain: -
✔✔clozapine and olanzapine
✔✔This Atypical Antipsychotic has the least impact on weight gain: - ✔✔aripiprazole
✔✔Two serious medication specific side effects of clozapine include: - ✔✔Seizures and
Agranulocytosis (leading to frequent and overwhelming infections)
✔✔These two labs must be monitored regularly with use of clozapine: - ✔✔WBC and
ANC
✔✔Due to this medications possible side effects of Agranulocytosis and subsequent risk
for infections, this Atypical Antipsychotic is only used if a client has not responded to
other Antipsychotics: - ✔✔clozapine
✔✔Cardiac side effects of Atypical Antipsychotics (especially ziprasidone) include: -
✔✔Prolongation of the QT interval (normal = 0.4-0.44 seconds)
✔✔This Atypical Antipsychotic has the greatest effect on QT interval prolongation and
should not be prescribed for people with arrhythmias: - ✔✔ziprasidone
✔✔Lithium is primarily used in the treatment of: - ✔✔Bipolar Disorder
✔✔The mechanism of action for this medication is unknown but it acts as a mood
stabilizer that can smooth out the "highs and lows": - ✔✔Lithium
✔✔Symptoms of Manic episodes: - ✔✔energetic, overly happy/optimistic, high self-
esteem, reckless behavior, pressured speech, racing thoughts, delusions of grandeur
✔✔Used as maintenance therapy in Bipolar Disorder to decrease the frequency and
magnitude of ups and downs: - ✔✔Lithium
✔✔Sometimes used for the treatment of Acute Manic Episodes, although the treatment
of choice is Antipsychotics: - ✔✔Lithium
✔✔This mood stabilizer is indicated for Unipolar Depression that does not respond to
antidepressants: - ✔✔Lithium
✔✔This mood stabilizer is taken orally, absorbed rapidly from the GI tract, is not
metabolized by the liver, and is almost exclusively excreted by the kidneys: - ✔✔Lithium
