Discussion 1: Chemical Neurotransmission
Modern psychopharmacology is largely the story of chemical neurotransmission. One must be fluent in the language and principles of chemical neurotransmission to:
- Understand the actions of drugs on the brain.
- Grasp the impact of diseases upon the central nervous system.
- Interpret the behavioral consequences of psychiatric medicines.
After studying Module 1: Lecture Materials & Resources, discuss the following:
- Choose an FDA-approved medication currently used in psychiatry.
- Explain the concept of that drug's half-life.
- How long would it take for that drug to reach a steady state?
- How frequently should the medication be dosed based on the half-life?
- Use Epocrates.com as a reference for this assignment.
Submission Instructions:
Your initial post should be at least 500 words, formatted and cited in current APA style with support from at least 2 academic sources.
Discussion 2: Depressive Disorders
Answer the questions below based on the following case study.
A 41-year-old man presents to his PCP with feelings of hopelessness, sadness, and helplessness. He says that he cries for no reason, and has difficulty sleeping. He noticed that the problems began about 6 weeks before, and he did not feel able to shrug them off. He has been drinking more alcohol than usual and has stopped going to work. When on his own, he admitted that he had thought of driving his car into the nearest canal.
1. Summarize the clinical case.
2. What is the DSM 5-TR diagnosis based on the information provided in the case? Need Assignment Help?
3. Which pharmacological treatment would you prescribe including the name, dose, route and frequency of the drug in accordance with the clinical guidelines?
Include the rationale for this treatment.
4. Which non-pharmacological treatment would you prescribe according to the clinical guidelines? Include the rationale for this treatment excluding a psychotherapeutic modality.
5. Include an assessment of the treatment's appropriateness, cost, effectiveness, safety, and potential for patient adherence to the chosen medication. Use a local pharmacy to research the cost of the medication and provide the most cost effective choice for the patient. Use great detail when answering questions 3-5.
Submission Instructions:
- Your initial post should be at least 500 words, formatted and cited in the current APA style with support from at least 2 academic sources.
Discussion 3: Anxiety & Sleep Wake Disorders
Answer the questions below based on the following case study.
A 26-year-old woman presented to the clinic after her cleaning rituals had so exhausted her that she had given up and could now enter only two of the five rooms in her home.
For more than a year she has worried that if her house is not sufficiently clean, her 3- year-old son will become ill and could die. Having touched a surface she has to disinfect it repeatedly - a procedure performed in a particular way and taking several hours. In addition, she repetitively washes her hands and sterilizes all the crockery and cutlery before eating. She realizes that she is 'going over the top', but she cannot stop thinking that items may have germs on them. This leads to disabling anxiety and fear for her son's health, which she can only resolve by cleaning. This helps temporarily, but soon the thoughts return again.
1. Summarize the clinical case.
2. What is the DSM 5-TR diagnosis based on the information provided in the case?
3. Which pharmacological treatment would you prescribe according to the clinical guidelines? Include the rationale for this treatment.
4. Which non-pharmacological treatment would you prescribe according to the clinical guidelines? Include the rationale for this treatment excluding a psychotherapeutic modality.
5. Include an assessment of the treatment's appropriateness, cost, effectiveness, safety, and potential for patient adherence to the chosen medication. Use a local pharmacy to research the cost of the medication and provide the most cost effective choice for the patient. Use great detail when answering questions 3-5.
Submission Instructions:
- Your initial post should be at least 500 words, formatted and cited in the current APA style with support from at least 2 academic sources.
Discussion 4: Bipolar Disorders
Answer the questions below based on the following case study.
A 20-year-old woman with a past history of MDD is brought to the local emergency department (ED) by her family. She appears restless, pacing around the waiting room, and her parents say that she has recently been asked to leave her job as a tattoo artist.
She has not slept for four nights, and her speech is rapid and quickly wanders off the point. She had recently purchased a $20,000 car and a $40,000 van to jump-start her mobile tattoo business in Naples, Florida. She is very reluctant to remain in the ED department because she has far too much to do and considers it a waste of everyone's time. She believes that she is far too important to be held back by minions.
1. Summarize the clinical case.
2. What is the DSM 5-TR diagnosis based on the information provided in the case?
3. Which pharmacological treatment would you prescribe according to the clinical guidelines? Include the rationale for this treatment.
4. Which non-pharmacological treatment would you prescribe according to the clinical guidelines? Include the rationale for this treatment excluding a psychotherapeutic modality.
5. Include an assessment of the treatment's appropriateness, cost, effectiveness, safety, and potential for patient adherence to the chosen medication. Use a local pharmacy to research the cost of the medication and provide the most cost effective choice for the patient. Use great detail when answering questions 3-5.
Submission Instructions:
- Your initial post should be at least 500 words, formatted and cited in current APA style with support from at least 2 academic sources.
Discussion 5: Psychotic & Cognitive Disorders
Answer the questions below based on the following case study.
TM is a 79-year-old man who was diagnosed with dementia 6 years previously. He lives with his 72-year-old wife. He was a chain smoker for 45 years. She describes a gradual deterioration in his condition such that in recent months she has found it increasingly difficult to manage him. He has become increasingly hostile and aggressive, though he has not actually assaulted her. He has begun to complain about seeing people wandering around the house, and that frightens him. On two occasions he has left the house and been found wandering along the road. She has noticed that his condition fluctuates - sometimes he is very aggressive and confused, while at other times he is more calm and lucid.
1. Summarize the clinical case.
2. What is the DSM 5-TR diagnosis based on the information provided in the case?
3. Which pharmacological treatment would you prescribe according to the clinical guidelines? Include the rationale for this treatment.
4. Which non-pharmacological treatment would you prescribe according to the clinical guidelines? Include the rationale for this treatment excluding a psychotherapeutic modality.
5. Include an assessment of the treatment's appropriateness, cost, effectiveness, safety, and potential for patient adherence to the chosen medication. Use a local pharmacy to research the cost of the medication and provide the most cost effective choice for the patient. Use great detail when answering questions 3-5.
Submission Instructions:
- Your initial post should be at least 500 words, formatted and cited in the current APA style with support from at least 2 academic sources.
Discussion 6: Attention & Substance Related Disorders
Answer the questions below based on the following case study.
An 8-year-old boy is repeatedly in trouble at school. He has been threatened with suspension after he was verbally and physically aggressive to his teacher. The school has suggested that he has a problem with his concentration and advised his parents to seek help. The school also referred him to the school child psychologist. He keeps wriggling in his seat. His mother says his concentration is fine when he is playing on his computer. What worries her is that he does not seem to think before he does things and will run out across the road without looking.
1. Summarize the clinical case.
2. What is the DSM 5-TR diagnosis based on the information provided in the case?
3. Which pharmacological treatment would you prescribe according to the clinical guidelines? Include the rationale for this treatment.
4. Which non-pharmacological treatment would you prescribe according to the clinical guidelines? Include the rationale for this treatment excluding a psychotherapeutic modality.
5. Include an assessment of the treatment's appropriateness, cost, effectiveness, safety, and potential for patient adherence to the chosen medication. Use a local pharmacy to research the cost of the medication and provide the most cost effective choice for the patient. Use great detail when answering questions 3-5.
Submission Instructions:
- Your initial post should be at least 500 words, formatted and cited in current APA style with support from at least 2 academic sources.