Active Recall 2

Module 1: Psychiatric Pharmacology - Expanded Active Recall Study Guide

1. Anxiety Disorders

  • Benzodiazepines (Prototype: ________________________________________) enhance ________________________________ to provide rapid anxiety relief.

  • Benzodiazepines are Schedule IV drugs designed for ________________________________-term use only, as they carry a high risk of dependence and ________________________________________if stopped abruptly.

  • The specific antidote for benzodiazepine toxicity is ________________________________________.

  • Combining Benzodiazepines with ________________________________________dramatically increases the risk of fatal respiratory depression.

  • Buspirone takes ________________________________________to ________________________________________weeks to reach full effect and must be taken on a ________________________________________basis, not PRN.

  • Other Anxiolytics: ________________________________________is a sedating antihistamine. ________________________________________is a beta-blocker used for performance anxiety. ________________________________________is used to treat PTSD nightmares.

2. Depressive Disorders

  • All antidepressants carry a warning for increased risk of ________________________________________in children, adolescents, and young adults early in treatment.

  • SSRIs (Prototype: ________________________________________) block the reuptake of serotonin. Two of the most common reasons patients stop taking SSRIs are ________________________________________dysfunction and ________________________________________gain.

  • SNRIs (Prototype: ________________________________________) increase both serotonin and norepinephrine. A specific vital sign to monitor with SNRIs is ________________________________________because it can cause hypertension.

  • Atypical Antidepressants: Bupropion is unique because it blocks norepinephrine and dopamine. It carries a severe risk of ________________________________________, so it is contraindicated in patients with a history of anorexia or bulimia.

  • TCAs (Prototype: ________________________________________) block reuptake of NE and Serotonin. They can cause severe ________________________________________effects (dry mouth, blurred vision, urinary retention) and carry a high risk of lethal ________________________________________if overdosed.

  • MAOIs (Prototype: ________________________________________) require strict avoidance of ________________________________________-rich foods (like aged cheese and cured meats) to prevent a lethal ________________________________________crisis.

3. Bipolar Disorders

  • The therapeutic maintenance range for Lithium is ___________________________to _____________________________mEq/L.

  • Patients on Lithium must avoid dehydration, ________________________________________, and ________________________________________, as these decrease kidney clearance and lead to rapid toxicity.

  • Lithium Toxicity Ladder: Early signs (<1.5) include GI upset and a ________________________________________tremor. Severe toxicity (>2.0) presents with ataxia, tinnitus, and ________________________________________.

  • Valproic Acid is an antiepileptic that increases GABA. It carries severe risks of hepatotoxicity, thrombocytopenia, and ________________________________________(which requires monitoring the patient's amylase and abdominal pain).

  • Carbamazepine and Lamotrigine both carry a severe risk for a life-threatening skin condition called ________________________________________. Carbamazepine also specifically interacts with ________________________________________juice.

4. Psychotic Disorders

  • First-Generation Antipsychotics (Prototype: ________________________________________) strongly block D2 (dopamine) receptors, targeting the ________________________________________symptoms of schizophrenia (like hallucinations).

  • EPS Breakdown: An acute spasm of the neck muscles is called acute ________________________________________and is treated immediately with ________________________________________. Severe internal restlessness is called ________________________________________and is treated with Propranolol. Irreversible lip-smacking/tongue movement is called ________________________________________________________ and is monitored using the ________________________________________scale.

  • A rare but fatal emergency associated with FGAs is ________________________________________, presenting with extreme rigidity, high fever, and autonomic instability.

  • Second-Generation Antipsychotics (Prototype: ________________________________________) carry a much higher risk for ________________________________________syndrome (weight gain, diabetes, dyslipidemia).

  • SGA Quirks: Quetiapine requires regular eye exams due to the risk of ________________________________________. Ziprasidone and Lurasidone must be taken with ________________________________________to absorb properly.

  • Clozapine carries a unique, severe risk of ________________________________________(severe neutropenia), requiring regular monitoring of the ________________________________________count and immediate reporting of any fever or sore throat.

  • Black Box Warning: ALL antipsychotics increase the risk of ________________________________________in elderly patients with ________________________________________-related psychosis (due to stroke and infection risks).