Week 8: Pharmacology for Psychological Disorders

How does an advanced practice nurse determine the best treatment option or pharmacotherapeutic to recommend for patients with psychological disorders?

Much like assessing or recommending pharmacotherapeutics for other conditions or disorders, as an advanced practice nurse, you may encounter a patient who presents with a psychological disorder. Understanding the guiding principles related to treating patients with psychological disorders as well as the effects of pharmacotherapeutics on a patient’s overall health and well-being is critical for the safe and effective delivery of care.

This week, you examine types of drugs prescribed to patients with psychological disorders. You also examine the potential impacts of pharmacotherapeutics used to treat psychological disorders on a patient’s pathophysiology.

Learning Objectives

Students will:

Evaluate patients for treatment of psychological disorders
Analyze decisions made throughout the diagnosis and treatment of patients with psychological disorders
Analyze impacts of pharmacotherapeutics for psychological disorders on patient pathophysiology
Evaluate patients for treatment of generalized anxiety disorder
Analyze decisions made throughout the diagnosis and treatment of patients with generalized anxiety disorder
Learning Resources
Required Readings (click to expand/reduce)

Rosenthal, L. D., & Burchum, J. R. (2021). Lehne’s pharmacotherapeutics for advanced practice nurses and physician assistants (2nd ed.) St. Louis, MO: Elsevier.

Chapter 26, “Antipsychotic Agents and Their Use in Schizophrenia” (pp. 203–213)
Chapter 27, “Antidepressants” (pp. 214–226)
Chapter 28, “Drugs for Bipolar Disorder” (pp. 228–233)
Chapter 29, “Sedative-Hypnotic Drugs” (pp. 234–242)
Chapter 30, “Management of Anxiety Disorders” (pp. 243–247)
Chapter 31, “Central Nervous System Stimulants and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder” (pp. 248–254)
Required Media (click to expand/reduce)

Laureate Education (Producer). (2019a). Adult geriatric depression [Interactive media file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.

In this interactive media piece, you will engage in a set of decisions for prescribing and recommending pharmacotherapeutics to treat adult geriatric depression.

Laureate Education (Producer). (2019c). Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder [Interactive media file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.

In this interactive media piece, you will engage in a set of decisions for prescribing and recommending pharmacotherapeutics to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Laureate Education (Producer). (2019d). Bipolar therapy [Interactive media file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.

In this interactive media piece, you will engage in a set of decisions for prescribing and recommending pharmacotherapeutics for bipolar therapy.

Laureate Education (Producer). (2019g). Generalized anxiety disorder [Interactive media file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.

In this interactive media piece, you will engage in a set of decisions for prescribing and recommending pharmacotherapeutics to treat generalized anxiety disorder.

Speed Pharmacology. (2016). Pharmacology – Antidepressants – SSRIs, SNRIs, TCAs, MAOIs, Lithium (Made Easy) [Video]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T25jvLC6X0w&t=3s

Note: This media program is approximately 19 minutes.

Speed Pharmacology. (2018). Pharmacology – Benzodiazepines, Barbiturates, Hypnotics (Made Easy) [Video]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZHudeMho8g&t=24s

Note: This media program is approximately 8 minutes.

Discussion: Comparing and Contrasting Pharmacologic Options for the Treatment of Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Psychological disorders, such as depression, bipolar, and anxiety disorders can present several complications for patients of all ages. These disorders affect patients physically and emotionally, potentially impacting judgment, school and/or job performance, and relationships with family and friends. Since these disorders have many drastic effects on patients’ lives, it is important for advanced practice nurses to effectively manage patient care. With patient factors and medical history in mind, it is the advanced practice nurse’s responsibility to ensure the safe and effective diagnosis, treatment, and education of patients with psychological disorders.

Photo Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto

Generalized Anxiety Disorder is a psychological condition that affects 6.1 million Americans, or 3.1% of the US Population. Despite several treatment options, only 43.2% of those suffering from GAD receive treatment. This week you will review several different classes of medication used in the treatment of Generalized Anxiety Disorder. You will examine the potential impacts of pharmacotherapeutics used in the treatment of GAD. Please focus your assignment on FDA-approved indications when referring to different medication classes used in the treatment of GAD.

To Prepare

Review the Resources for this module and consider the principles of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics.
Reflect on your experiences, observations, and/or clinical practices from the last 5 years and think about how pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic factors altered or her anticipated response to a drug.
Consider factors that might have influenced the patient’s pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes, such as genetics (including pharmacogenetics), gender, ethnicity, age, behavior, and/or possible pathophysiological changes due to disease.
Think about a personalized plan of care based on these influencing factors and patient history with GAD.
By Day 3 of Week 8
Post a discussion of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics related to anxiolytic medications used to treat GAD. In your discussion, utilizing the discussion highlights, compare and contrast different treatment options that can be used.

Learning Resources

Required Readings (click to expand/reduce)