Medications and Concepts in Psychiatry

Module Overview

This module discusses several important medications and concepts related to psychiatric and neurological conditions.

Lithium
- Used primarily in the treatment of bipolar disorder.
Olanzapine
- An atypical antipsychotic used to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
Chlorpromazine
- One of the first antipsychotic medications used; primarily used for schizophrenia.
Clozapine
- An atypical antipsychotic used for treatment-resistant schizophrenia; requires monitoring due to risk of agranulocytosis.
Haldol (Haloperidol)
- A typical antipsychotic used for the treatment of acute psychosis and for sedation.
Risperidone (Risperidol)
- An atypical antipsychotic indicated for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and irritability associated with autism.
Valproate
- Used primarily to treat seizures and bipolar disorder, also effective for migraine prevention.

Tardive Dyskinesia (TD)
- A potential side effect of long-term use of antipsychotic medications characterized by involuntary, repetitive body movements.
Agranulocytosis
- A serious side effect of clozapine resulting in a dangerously low white blood cell count, increasing the risk of infection.
Hallucinations
- A symptom commonly treated with antipsychotic drugs; involves perceiving things that are not present in the environment.
Extrapyramidal Symptoms (EPS)
- Drug-induced movement disorders that include symptoms like tremors, rigidity, bradykinesia, and tardive dyskinesia.
Antidepressant Discontinuation Syndrome (ADDS)
- A set of symptoms that can occur when a person abruptly stops taking an antidepressant. Symptoms can include mood changes, irritability, and flu-like symptoms.

AIMS Test
- The Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale; a tool used to monitor and assess movement disorders, especially tardive dyskinesia, in patients taking antipsychotic medications.