WITH COMPLETE 300 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS | GRADED
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Sofia presents to the PMHNP with a report of being overwhelmed with
stress and worry. Sofia reports she has always dealt with these feelings,
but it has been worse since she has taken a more advanced role in her
work with significant responsibility. She has difficulty relaxing and is
often fatigued. The PMHNP diagnoses Sofia with generalized anxiety
disorder. sertraline 25 mg po once daily.
Rationale: Anxiety can often be treated with antidepressants. The best
choice for Sofia is the SSRI, sertraline because it is half the
recommended dose for depression. The duloxetine dosage listed is an
appropriate dose for depression. When treating anxiety, the dosage
should start at 30 mg and be titrated up. Buspirone is not the first
drug of choice and it is typically used short-term. A benzodiazepine
should not be the first drug of choice.
Many persons with schizophrenia are treated successfully in an
______________, though some clients may require
________________ for initial treatment and subsequent
treatment of psychotic episodes outpatient setting, inpatient
hospitalizations
,Why begin with monotherapy? (antipsychotics)
The use of multiple antipsychotics can increase the risk of QT
prolongation.
-Combinations considered only after single med have provided
inadequate response.
Clients are more likely to experience side effects when
changing from a medication in one ___________ to a
medication in another ____________ subcategory,
subcategory
(ex: pine to done)
special considerations: Pregnancy (antipsychotics)
-Risk of withdrawal symptoms in the newborn: extrapyramidal
symptoms may be present at delivery.
-atypical antipsychotics appear more harmful than typical
antipsychotics due to increased risk of gestational metabolic
complications, increased gestational age weight, and increased birth
weight.
,-Avoid Clozapine, Ziprasidone, olanzapine, risperidone, and
quetiapine, especially in the third trimester
Sofia was prescribed sertraline 25 mg po once daily. Sofia's dosage was
increased to 50 mg after week 1, increased to 100 mg after week 2, and
increased to 150 mg after week 3. At Sofia's 4-week follow-up visit, she
is tolerating the medication well and symptoms are slightly improved.
Which is the best action by the PMHNP?
increase the sertraline dose to 200 mg
Rationale: The PMHNP should increase the sertraline dose to the
maximum dose of 200 mg because the client has slightly improved
symptoms. It may take several months for the client to see full relief,
so it is best to wait before adding additional drugs or switching drugs.
At Sofia's 12-week follow-up visit, the client is taking the maximum
dose of sertraline and is experiencing improvement in symptoms, but
not full relief from symptoms. Which is the best action by the
PMHNP? augment with buspirone
Rationale: The client has improvement in symptoms, but not full relief,
so the best action is to augment the current therapy. Buspirone offers
anxiety relief but does not have the effects of a CNS depressant or
cause dependence like benzodiazepines. Buspirone does take
, approximately 4 weeks to reach full therapeutic effects. If the client
did not experience an improvement in symptoms, switching to
another SSRI would be the best action.
If antipsychotics switched too quickly
can develop agitation, activation, insomnia, and experience
withdrawal
-due to the binding differences in each medication subcategory
*Cross titration over several days to weeks is required to prevent side
effects
Jill, a 23-year-old graduate student, presents with reports of panic
attacks and worry "my whole life." She reports that she can bring on
panic attacks herself when she worries. This happens almost every day
and some days it is so bad she cannot go to work or school. She was
offered a few Xanax by a friend, and she wants a prescription because
"they really help."
The PMHNP diagnoses Jill with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD).
Which is the best medication for the PMHNP to prescribe?
escitalopram
Rationale: Escitalopram is the only listed SSRI that is the appropriate
drug class for GAD. Bupropion is an SNRI. Medications that contain
norepinephrine can increase anxiety. Jill has chronic anxiety, not acute
anxiety.