Antipsychotic medication psychiatric nursing

         Antipsychotic agents are also called Neuroleptics ,Major Tranquilizers or Phenothaizines . Antipsychotic medication has major role in treatment of psychosis mainly in bipolar disorder . Raed also about Antidepressant and anti anxiety medication 

  • Psychosis is a state in which a person`s ability to communicate and to relate to others is severely impaired .

       USES OF ANTIPSYCHOTIC MEDICATION : 

  • Schizophrenic disorders 
  • Mania 
  • Paranoid  Disorder
  • Organic dementia
  • Acute brain syndrome 

MODE OF ACTION OF ANTIPSYCHOTIC MEDICATION :-

Antipsychotic medication are thought to block dopamine receptors. Dopamine is a chemical which is released in brain and causes psychotic thinking. Antipsychotic medication hepl in blocking or reducing activity of dopamine .


antipsychotic-medication

COMMON OR LIST OF ANTIPSYCHOTIC MEDICATION 

TYPICAL  ANTIPSYCHOTIC MEDICATION :

Typical antipsychotic are more effective for positive symptoms of schizoprenia such as hallucination ,aggression and delusion

  • Chlorpromazine 
  • Haloperidol
  • Loxapine ( Loxitane )
  • Molindone ( Moban )
  • pemozide ( orap)
  • Thiothixene ( Navane ) 

ATYPICAL  ANTIPSYCHOTIC MEDICATION :

Atypical antipsychotic are more effective for negetive symptoms of schizophrenia such as avolition , apathy and alogia.
  • Aripiprazole ( Abilify)
  • Clozapine ( Clozaril )
  • Olanzapine ( Zyprexa )
  • Risperidone (Risperdal )
  • Palperidone ( Invega )
  • Quetiapine ( Seroquel ) 

 


SIDE EFFECT OF ANTIPSYCHOTIC MEDICATION :-

  • Dry mouth
  • Blurred vision 
  • constipation
  • tachycardia
  • Agranulocytosis ( marked decrease of leukocytes )
  • Extrapyramidal symptoms : Akathesia , Dystonia ,Tardive dyskinesia  and Neuroleptic Malignant syndrome 

1. AKATHESIA :    COMMON characteristics are  Restlessness or walking in place , difficulty in sitting still. Thses are referred as Walkies and Talkies .



2. DYSTONIA :- The characteristic features are 

  • Rapidly developing contraction of muscle of tongue, jaw , neck ( Producing torticolis ) and extraocul;r muscles 
  • Oculogyric crisis in which eyes looks upward , head is turned to one side .
  • Dystonia is painful and gives frightening experience to patient 
  • It occurs within a few minutes of giving medication or after several hours 

3. TARDIVE DYSKINESIA : – This occurs due  to abrupt termination or reduction of antipsychotic medication after long term high dose therapy . It is Characterised by :

  • Involuntary rhythemic , stereotyped movements 
  • Involuntary movements of extrimities and trunk .
  • Antisychotic drug should be stopped immediatly 
  • There is no treatment , symptoms may appear for years . It is Irreversible .

4. Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome ( NMS ) :  It is rare complication of antipsychotic medication and is usually fetal. symptoms include :

  • Hyperpyrexia
  • severe muscle rigidity
  • altered conciousness 
  • Increased WBC
  • Symptoms appears suddenly when medication is started and can persist for 10 – 14 days or longer 

INTERVENTION :

  • These drugs should be given deep IM’
  • Observe for sore throat , fever due to agranulocytosis
  • Medicine should be administered at bed time 
  • Patient should be advised not to drive  and handle hazardous machinery while taking antipsychotic drugs 
  • observe for extrapyramidal symptoms and report it immediatly to dr.