NU 643 Final SG UPDATED ACTUAL
Exam Questions and CORRECT Answers
Common side effects of SSRIs - CORRECT ANSWER - Sexual dysfunction, weight gain,
nausea, insomnia or somnolence, agitation
management of behavioral & psychological symptoms dementia - CORRECT ANSWER -
habilitation therapy, generate positive emotions, sleep hygiene, consistency, avoid triggers
dietary recommendations mental health - CORRECT ANSWER - B vitamins, B12, B6,
B2, fruits and vegetables
slowest drug route - CORRECT ANSWER - IM depot, topical patch
Lithium side effects - CORRECT ANSWER - dizziness; impaired vision;fine hand
tremors; reversible leukocytosis; signs of intoxication: V, diarrhea, drowsiness, muscular
weakness, ataxia, hypothyroidism
Clonidine, Propranolol - CORRECT ANSWER - used for physiological panic symptoms
of anxiety, lower HR and BP
psychotropic medication in pregnancy - CORRECT ANSWER - benefit must outweigh
risk, with depression if new onset and mild attempt psychotherapy, if previous episode and
currently on medication, remain on medication
Quetiapine Labs - CORRECT ANSWER - metabolic, a1c, CBC, thyroid
VPA labs - CORRECT ANSWER - LFTS, CBC, ammonia, serum valproate
Lithium Labs - CORRECT ANSWER - -SCr and BUN (for kidneys)
,-Urine specific gravity (for diabetes insipidus)
-Electrolytes (for sodium)
-EKG (for arrhythmia)
-CBC (for leukocytes)
-Thyroid function (for hypothyroidism)
-Glucose
-Pregnancy test
-Lithium level
mental status exam - CORRECT ANSWER - appearance and behavior, thought processes,
mood and affect, intellectual functioning, sensorium
symptoms of hyponatremia - CORRECT ANSWER - ...headache, muscle weakness,
fatigue, apathy, confusion, abd. cramps, & orthostatic hypotension, caused by oxcarbmazepine
(trileptal).
tardive dyskinesia - CORRECT ANSWER - A side effect of long-term use of traditional
antipsychotic drugs causing the person to have uncontrollable facial tics, grimaces, and other
involuntary movements of the lips, jaw, and tongue. caused by chronic blockade of D2.
FGA>SGA
extrapyramidal symptoms - CORRECT ANSWER - side effects such as restlessness,
involuntary movements, and muscular tension produced by antipsychotic medications
Akathesia - CORRECT ANSWER - inability to remain still; motor restlessness and
anxiety, most common cause of aggression due to a drug side effect (occurs within days)
Dystonia - CORRECT ANSWER - a condition of abnormal muscle tone that causes the
impairment of voluntary muscle movement (acute can occur in hours)
, Akinesia - CORRECT ANSWER - complete or partial loss of muscle movement, shuffled
slowed gait (occurs within weeks)
dopamine reward system - CORRECT ANSWER - the system of neurons, primarily in the
nucleus accumbens and ventral tegmental area, that relies on dopamine and gives rise to pleasant
feelings
Safety Assessment - CORRECT ANSWER - symptoms, at each visit, drug initiation and
dose change
greatest risk period during pregnancy - CORRECT ANSWER - first 8 weeks
BZO taper - CORRECT ANSWER - change to longer acting such as clonazepam or
valium, add Inderal or vistaril
St. John's Wort - CORRECT ANSWER - depression, contraindicated with SSRI, risk of
serotonin syndrome
hypertensive crisis - CORRECT ANSWER - Hypertension with Angina, Pulmonary
Edema, Pregnancy or signs of cerebral edema (such as usually severe headache blurred
vision/visual disturbances, nausea and vomiting, altered mental status, focal neurological sign or
deficits, paresthesias, dizziness, vertigo or tinnitus, from MAOI and tyramine-phentolamine for
tx
Serotonin Syndrome - CORRECT ANSWER - Similar to NMS but caused by serotonin
medications, and has HYPERreflexive muscle activity-cryptoheptadine and bzo for symptom
management
antipsychotics elderly - CORRECT ANSWER - black box warning for dementia and
increased CVA mortality, contraindicated with lewy disease and parkinsons
Exam Questions and CORRECT Answers
Common side effects of SSRIs - CORRECT ANSWER - Sexual dysfunction, weight gain,
nausea, insomnia or somnolence, agitation
management of behavioral & psychological symptoms dementia - CORRECT ANSWER -
habilitation therapy, generate positive emotions, sleep hygiene, consistency, avoid triggers
dietary recommendations mental health - CORRECT ANSWER - B vitamins, B12, B6,
B2, fruits and vegetables
slowest drug route - CORRECT ANSWER - IM depot, topical patch
Lithium side effects - CORRECT ANSWER - dizziness; impaired vision;fine hand
tremors; reversible leukocytosis; signs of intoxication: V, diarrhea, drowsiness, muscular
weakness, ataxia, hypothyroidism
Clonidine, Propranolol - CORRECT ANSWER - used for physiological panic symptoms
of anxiety, lower HR and BP
psychotropic medication in pregnancy - CORRECT ANSWER - benefit must outweigh
risk, with depression if new onset and mild attempt psychotherapy, if previous episode and
currently on medication, remain on medication
Quetiapine Labs - CORRECT ANSWER - metabolic, a1c, CBC, thyroid
VPA labs - CORRECT ANSWER - LFTS, CBC, ammonia, serum valproate
Lithium Labs - CORRECT ANSWER - -SCr and BUN (for kidneys)
,-Urine specific gravity (for diabetes insipidus)
-Electrolytes (for sodium)
-EKG (for arrhythmia)
-CBC (for leukocytes)
-Thyroid function (for hypothyroidism)
-Glucose
-Pregnancy test
-Lithium level
mental status exam - CORRECT ANSWER - appearance and behavior, thought processes,
mood and affect, intellectual functioning, sensorium
symptoms of hyponatremia - CORRECT ANSWER - ...headache, muscle weakness,
fatigue, apathy, confusion, abd. cramps, & orthostatic hypotension, caused by oxcarbmazepine
(trileptal).
tardive dyskinesia - CORRECT ANSWER - A side effect of long-term use of traditional
antipsychotic drugs causing the person to have uncontrollable facial tics, grimaces, and other
involuntary movements of the lips, jaw, and tongue. caused by chronic blockade of D2.
FGA>SGA
extrapyramidal symptoms - CORRECT ANSWER - side effects such as restlessness,
involuntary movements, and muscular tension produced by antipsychotic medications
Akathesia - CORRECT ANSWER - inability to remain still; motor restlessness and
anxiety, most common cause of aggression due to a drug side effect (occurs within days)
Dystonia - CORRECT ANSWER - a condition of abnormal muscle tone that causes the
impairment of voluntary muscle movement (acute can occur in hours)
, Akinesia - CORRECT ANSWER - complete or partial loss of muscle movement, shuffled
slowed gait (occurs within weeks)
dopamine reward system - CORRECT ANSWER - the system of neurons, primarily in the
nucleus accumbens and ventral tegmental area, that relies on dopamine and gives rise to pleasant
feelings
Safety Assessment - CORRECT ANSWER - symptoms, at each visit, drug initiation and
dose change
greatest risk period during pregnancy - CORRECT ANSWER - first 8 weeks
BZO taper - CORRECT ANSWER - change to longer acting such as clonazepam or
valium, add Inderal or vistaril
St. John's Wort - CORRECT ANSWER - depression, contraindicated with SSRI, risk of
serotonin syndrome
hypertensive crisis - CORRECT ANSWER - Hypertension with Angina, Pulmonary
Edema, Pregnancy or signs of cerebral edema (such as usually severe headache blurred
vision/visual disturbances, nausea and vomiting, altered mental status, focal neurological sign or
deficits, paresthesias, dizziness, vertigo or tinnitus, from MAOI and tyramine-phentolamine for
tx
Serotonin Syndrome - CORRECT ANSWER - Similar to NMS but caused by serotonin
medications, and has HYPERreflexive muscle activity-cryptoheptadine and bzo for symptom
management
antipsychotics elderly - CORRECT ANSWER - black box warning for dementia and
increased CVA mortality, contraindicated with lewy disease and parkinsons
