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Hello, please create a reply for the discussion of the following student.Minimun 150 words 2 references. Thank you!
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Antipsychotic medication
Psychotic disorders are mental illnesses that cause a person to lose touch with reality characterized by a loss of contact with reality. Common symptoms of psychotic disorders include delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, and disorganized behavior. Antipsychotic medications are often used to treat these disorders. One particular type of antipsychotic medication is Clozapine. This paper explores the use of Clozapine in treating psychotic disorders, its potential side effects, dosing, mechanism of action, and the receptors it affects in the brain. It also compares and contrasts four movement disorders associated with antipsychotic medication use: Tardive Dyskinesia, Acute Dystonia, and Athetosis.
Clozapine
Clozapine is a second-generation antipsychotic that acts on the brain’s serotonin, dopamine, and noradrenaline receptors. It blocks multiple receptors in the brain, including dopamine, serotonin, and histamine receptors, which reduces psychotic symptoms. This action helps reduce the intensity of the symptoms experienced by the patient. Drugscom (2019) states the recommended dose is between 200-600mg daily. The dose may need to be adjusted depending on the patient’s response. Clozapine is associated with weight gain, sedation, and agranulocytosis. Agranulocytosis is a rare but potentially life-threatening side effect in about 1% of patients taking Clozapine (Rattay & Benndorf, 2021). Therefore, patients taking Clozapine require regular monitoring of their white blood cell count
Tardive Dyskinesia, Acute Dystonia, Athetosis comparison
Tardive Dyskinesia is the most common movement disorder associated with antipsychotic medication use and can be irreversible. The risk of developing Tardive Dyskinesia increases with the duration of antipsychotic medication use, especially with typical antipsychotics. Acute Dystonia is a less common movement disorder that typically occurs within the first few days of starting antipsychotic medication (Factor et al., 2019). It is characterized by sudden, painful muscle spasms that can affect the neck, back, and eyes. Athetosis is a rare movement disorder characterized by slow, twisting fingers, hands, and feet movements. Tics are sudden, repetitive movements or vocalizations that can be either simple or complex.
In conclusion, Clozapine is a highly effective antipsychotic medication for treating psychotic disorders, although it may be associated with potential side effects such as agranulocytosis and weight gain. Its unique mechanism of action involves blocking multiple receptors in the brain, including dopamine, serotonin, and histamine receptors, which reduces psychotic symptoms. Tardive Dyskinesia is the most common and potentially irreversible movement disorder associated with antipsychotic medication use. Acute Dystonia and Athetosis are less common movement disorders that can occur with antipsychotic medication use. Patients taking antipsychotic medications should be closely monitored for potential side effects.
References
Drugscom. (2019). Clozapine Dosage. Drugs.com; Drugs.com. https://www.drugs.com/dosage/clozapine.html
Factor, S. A., Burkhard, P. R., Caroff, S., Friedman, J. H., Marras, C., Tinazzi, M., & Comella, C. L. (2019). Recent developments in drug-induced movement disorders: a mixed picture. The Lancet Neurology, 18(9), 880–890. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1474-4422(19)30152-8
Rattay, B., & Benndorf, R. A. (2021). Drug-Induced Idiosyncratic Agranulocytosis – Infrequent but Dangerous. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 12, 727717. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2021.727717
