Antipsychotic Drugs Side Effects Comprehensive Nursing Paper Example

Antipsychotic Drugs Side Effects Comprehensive Nursing Paper Example

Antipsychotic drugs used to treat mental health problems such as schizophrenia and bipolar normally have several side effects. Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) induce Akathisia and tremor, causing movement problems. One medication I would prescribe to relieve these symptoms would be anticholinergics at lower doses. However, if the patient were already prescribed the medication, I would change the medication to benzodiazepines, beta-blockers, or trazodone (Kaar et al., 2020). In the case of extrapyramidal side effects (EPS) or tardive dyskinesia (TD), I would prescribe anticholinergics, lipophilic beta-blockers, or benzodiazepines to reduce these symptoms. Also, I would change the medication to aripiprazole as third-generation antipsychotics have less impact on dopamine levels, carrying the lowest risk to EPS and TD (Smith et al., 2018). Additionally, for weight gain, I would prescribe metformin with an exercise or diet regimen to help reverse the weight gain from antipsychotics. However, if the patient were under antidepressants, I would change the medication to bupropion as it is considered as they have the least impact on weight gain (Kaar et al., 2020). (Antipsychotic Drugs Side Effects Comprehensive Nursing Paper Example)

Nonetheless, atypical antipsychotics have an increased risk for metabolic syndrome. Therefore, if the patient has been using olanzapine or clozapine, I would change their medication to aripiprazole, lurasidone, brexpiprazole, or cariprazine have the best profiles on metabolic side effects (Xu & Zhuang, 2019). Also, if a patient experiences antipsychotic-induced sexual dysfunction, changing the medication to olanzapine can help improve their sexual functioning. This medication is suitable for both men and women, while sildenafil is recommended for men who have schizophrenia (Allen et al., 2019). For blunted affect, modifying the antipsychotics prescribed can help to improve the symptoms, making the patient more reactive and responsive to stimulations. Lastly, I would recommend the elimination of clozapine if the patient experiences agranulocytosis. Instead, I would prescribe pegfilgrastim, filgrastim, or lenograstim which may help to reduce the symptoms (Smith et al., 2018).(Antipsychotic Drugs Side Effects Comprehensive Nursing Paper Example)