22
Psychotherapeutic agents
Learning objectives
Upon completion of this chapter, you should be able to:
1.
Define the term psychotherapeutic agent and list conditions that psychotherapeutic agents are used to treat.
2.
Describe the therapeutic actions, indications, pharmacokinetics, contraindications, most common adverse
reactions and important drug–drug interactions associated with each class of psychotherapeutic agent.
3.
Discuss the use of psychotherapeutic agents across the lifespan.
4.
Compare and contrast the prototype drugs for each class of psychotherapeutic agent with other drugs in that
class and with drugs in the other classes of psychotherapeutic agents.
5.
Outline the care considerations and teaching needs for people receiving each class of psychotherapeutic
agents.
Glossary of key terms
antipsychotic:
drug used to treat disorders involving thought processes; dopamine-receptor blocker that helps affected people to
organise their thoughts and respond appropriately to stimuli
attention-deficit disorder:
behavioural syndrome characterised by an inability to concentrate for longer than a few minutes and
excessive activity
bipolar disorder:
behavioural disorder that involves extremes of depression alternating with hyperactivity and excitement
major tranquilliser:
former name of antipsychotic drugs; the name is no longer used because it implies that the primary effect of
these drugs is sedation, which is no longer thought to be the desired therapeutic action
mania:
state of hyperexcitability; one phase of bipolar disorders, which alternate between periods of severe depression and mania
narcolepsy:
mental disorder characterised by daytime sleepiness and periods of sudden loss of wakefulness
neuroleptic:
a drug with many associated neurological adverse effects that is used to treat disorders that involve thought processes
(e.g. schizophrenia)
schizophrenia:
the most common type of psychosis; characteristics include hallucinations, paranoia, delusions, speech abnormalities
and affective problems
Test your current knowledge of psychotherapeutic agents with a PrepU Practice Quiz!
ANTIPSYCHOTIC/NEUROLEPTIC
DRUGS
Typical antipsychotics
chlorpromazine
fluphenazine
haloperidol
pericyazine
prochlorperazine
trifluoperazine
zuclopenthixol
Atypical antipsychotics
amisulpride
aripiprazole
clozapine
olanzapine
paliperidone
quetiapine
risperidone
ziprasidone
ANTIMANIC DRUGS
aripiprazole
lamotrigine
lithium
olanzapine
quetiapine
ziprasidone
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
STIMULANTS
atomoxetine
dexamphetamine
methylphenidate
modafinil
