6630 Psychopharmacology (Walden
University) Midterm Study Guide
Quizzes with Complete Solutions.
Six Common SSRIs - Answers: citalopram, escitalopram, fluoxetine, fluvoxamine,
sertraline, paroxetine
Onset of therapeutic benefit from SSRIs - Answers: 4-6 weeks
In addition to MDD, SSRIs also treat - Answers: Chronic Anxiety, PTSD, OCD, and
eating disorders (bulimia)
Five Common side effects of SSRIs include - Answers: Anxiety, insomnia, GI
distress, sexual dysfunction (ED), SIADH
1|Page
,Severe side effect of SSRIs in children/adolescents under age 25 years old -
Answers: suicidal ideation
Life threatening adverse effect of SSRIs, especially when used in combination with
other serotonergic drugs (SNRIs, TCAs, MAOIs, etc.) - Answers: Serotonin
Syndrome
Excess accumulation of serotonin resulting in overstimulation of the nervous
system - Answers: Serotonin Syndrome
Seven symptoms of Serotonin Syndrome - Answers: Flushing, hyperthermia,
agitation, muscle rigidity, seizure, coma, HYPERreflexia
Serotonin helps regulate - Answers: feeding, Mood, emotion, and reproductive
behavior
This class of antidepressants binds to presynaptic SERT and inhibits them from
reuptake of serotonin to increase levels in the synaptic cleft to bind with
postsysnaptic 5HT2 receptors - Answers: SSRIs
First line therapy for MDD due to milder side effect profiles - Answers: SSRIs
The treatment for serotonin syndrome - Answers: Cyproheptadine (5-HT2
receptor antagonist)
Cyproheptadine treats serotonin syndrome by - Answers: blocking 5-HT2
receptors (serotonin antagonist)
2|Page
, When SSRIs or SNRIs are stopped abruptly, common symptoms of withdrawal
include - Answers: Irritability, headaches, and insomnia
Medicine specific side effect of citalopram - Answers: Prolonged QT interval
(normal=0.4.-0.44 seconds)
This SSRI is pregnancy category D due to associations with congenital heart
defects - Answers: Paroxetine
All SSRIs but paroxetine (D) are pregnancy category - Answers: C
Three SSRIs that are inhibitors of Cytochrome P450 enzymes - Answers:
fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, and paroxetine
Five common SNRIs include - Answers: duloxetine, venlafaxine, desvenlafaxine,
milnacipran, levomilnacipran
This antidepressant class of medications works by binding to presynaptic SERT and
NET to inhibit them from reuptake of serotonin and norepinephrine to increase
their levels in the synaptic cleft - Answers: SNRIs
In addition to MDD SNRIs treat - Answers: Anxiety and neuropathic pain
(peripheral neuropathy)
3|Page
University) Midterm Study Guide
Quizzes with Complete Solutions.
Six Common SSRIs - Answers: citalopram, escitalopram, fluoxetine, fluvoxamine,
sertraline, paroxetine
Onset of therapeutic benefit from SSRIs - Answers: 4-6 weeks
In addition to MDD, SSRIs also treat - Answers: Chronic Anxiety, PTSD, OCD, and
eating disorders (bulimia)
Five Common side effects of SSRIs include - Answers: Anxiety, insomnia, GI
distress, sexual dysfunction (ED), SIADH
1|Page
,Severe side effect of SSRIs in children/adolescents under age 25 years old -
Answers: suicidal ideation
Life threatening adverse effect of SSRIs, especially when used in combination with
other serotonergic drugs (SNRIs, TCAs, MAOIs, etc.) - Answers: Serotonin
Syndrome
Excess accumulation of serotonin resulting in overstimulation of the nervous
system - Answers: Serotonin Syndrome
Seven symptoms of Serotonin Syndrome - Answers: Flushing, hyperthermia,
agitation, muscle rigidity, seizure, coma, HYPERreflexia
Serotonin helps regulate - Answers: feeding, Mood, emotion, and reproductive
behavior
This class of antidepressants binds to presynaptic SERT and inhibits them from
reuptake of serotonin to increase levels in the synaptic cleft to bind with
postsysnaptic 5HT2 receptors - Answers: SSRIs
First line therapy for MDD due to milder side effect profiles - Answers: SSRIs
The treatment for serotonin syndrome - Answers: Cyproheptadine (5-HT2
receptor antagonist)
Cyproheptadine treats serotonin syndrome by - Answers: blocking 5-HT2
receptors (serotonin antagonist)
2|Page
, When SSRIs or SNRIs are stopped abruptly, common symptoms of withdrawal
include - Answers: Irritability, headaches, and insomnia
Medicine specific side effect of citalopram - Answers: Prolonged QT interval
(normal=0.4.-0.44 seconds)
This SSRI is pregnancy category D due to associations with congenital heart
defects - Answers: Paroxetine
All SSRIs but paroxetine (D) are pregnancy category - Answers: C
Three SSRIs that are inhibitors of Cytochrome P450 enzymes - Answers:
fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, and paroxetine
Five common SNRIs include - Answers: duloxetine, venlafaxine, desvenlafaxine,
milnacipran, levomilnacipran
This antidepressant class of medications works by binding to presynaptic SERT and
NET to inhibit them from reuptake of serotonin and norepinephrine to increase
their levels in the synaptic cleft - Answers: SNRIs
In addition to MDD SNRIs treat - Answers: Anxiety and neuropathic pain
(peripheral neuropathy)
3|Page
