PSY 630INFORMED APPRISAL
W6d1 PSY 630 EXAMPLE ONLY
People with psychological disorders depend on their psychiatrist for medications that will help maintain their mental wellness. However, there comes a time when treating a patient for a psychiatric disorder may be misdiagnosed and giving the wrong medication for their disorder. The patient may have a severe reaction to the medication and the side effects may cause them to be hospitalized or even cause death. In addition, people may use false information about their mental status and collect medication to give them a rush or to sell them to the highest bidder. It is imperative to assess future patients more closely before prescribing medication. Also, when prescribing medication for a mental disorder, there needs to be a mix of therapy along with the medication. This would provide a clear image of the patient’s mental disorder and the progression of recovery.
Here is a disorder called Parkinson’s Disease and the medication I will be presenting is called Levodopa. “Levodopa is a precursor drug to dopamine, continues to be the mainstay of therapy for Parkinson’s disease, and is also used in a combination with other medications” (Advokat, 2014, p. 563). Thus, the loss of dopamine is the primary problem in patients who have PD, replacement of the dopamine would be expected to ameliorate the symptoms of the disease. However, because dopamine poorly crosses the blood-brain barrier from plasma into the central nervous system (Advokat, 2014, p.563). “However, the precursor compound in the biosynthesis of dopamine from amino acid tyramine, a substance called dihydroxyphenylalanine, or dopa, crosses the blood-brain barrier and in the CNS is converted into dopamine, replacing the dopamine that is absent” (Advokat, 2014, p. 563). “Therefore, levodopa is the most effective treatment for the motor disability, and many practitioners consider an initial beneficial response an important criterion for the diagnosis of parkinsonism (Advokat, 2014, p. 563).
Thus, this medication for Parkinson’s disease is a must for the success and well being of the patient. This is only one of the many medications that will help patients with mental disorders, and I will have to take a stand for medications that will improve the patient’s livelihood.
The greatest strengths that I can think of is the research that goes on to provide the necessary medication for the people with mental disorders. In addition, the correct assessment of the patient’s mental disorder and the correct medication for the patient to take. On the other hand, the weakness of using medication to treat mental disorders is that newer medication is not being developed. Furthermore, “pharmaceutical companies are abandoning their psychotropic research programs” (Advokat, 2014, p. 591). Also, the overmedication of patients, especially the children and the elderly. The weaknesses are pretty much the ethical downside of using medication for treating psychological disorders. Thus, strengths of using medication for mental disorders will provide patients a chance to live a normal (if possible) life, and this can happen if the patient is assessed by a psychiatrist and the correct medication is prescribed to them.
“Parkinson’s disease is most commonly found in the elderly population but can be found in the younger population as well (Advokat, 2014, p. 555). Here are a few actions and effects of psychoactive drugs administered to elderly patients: lower dose of medication are often as effective in the elderly as higher doses in younger people; when initiating drug therapy in the elderly, it is wise to start low and go slow; elimination half-lives are often prolonged in the elderly, sometimes to about twice as long as half-lives in younger people due to pharmacokinetic changes that occur with aging such as decreased liver enzyme activity; depression and comorbid anxiety and depression are common in the elderly and need to be addressed and treated; and substance abuse in the elderly often goes undetected and therefore untreated leading to broader psychological, psychiatric, and physiological morbidities (Advokat, 2014, p. 555).
Moreover, patient’s with mental disorders must have the medication to have a chance of a quality of life in society. The statement above is only a part of what psychoactive medications can do for patients with mental disorders such as Parkinson’s disease. I hope soon, that scientists can provide more combative medications to rid most of the mental disorders that afflict millions of people worldwide. But as for now, we must make due with what is available and hope the patients can survive until a cure is found.
Reference
Advokat., C. D., Comaty, J. E., & Julien, R. M. (2014). Julien's primer of drug action: A comprehensive guide to the actions, uses, and side effects of psychoactive drugs (13th ed.). New York, NY: Worth Publishers
W
6
d1 PSY 630
E
XAMPLE ONLY
People with psychological disorders depend on their psychiatrist for medications that will
help maintain their mental wellness. How
ever, there comes a time when treating a patient
for a psychiatric disorder may be misdiagnosed and giving the wrong medication for their
disorder. The patient may have a severe reaction to the medication and the side effects may
cause them to be hospitali
zed or even cause death. In addition, people may use false
information about their mental status and collect medication to give them a rush or to sell
them to the highest bidder. It is imperative to assess future patients more closely before
prescribing me
dication. Also, when prescribing medication for a mental disorder, there
needs to be a mix of therapy along with the medication. This would provide a clear image of
the patient’s mental disorder and the progression of recovery.
Here is a disorder called Pa
rkinson’s Disease and the medication I will be presenting is
called Levodopa. “Levodopa is a precursor drug to dopamine, continues to be the mainstay
of therapy for Parkinson’s disease, and is also used in a combination with other
medications” (Advokat, 20
14, p. 563). Thus, the loss of dopamine is the primary problem in
patients who have PD, replacement of the dopamine would be expected to ameliorate the
symptoms of the disease. However, because dopamine poorly crosses the blood
-
brain
barrier from plasma in
to the central nervous system (Advokat, 2014, p.563). “However, the
precursor compound in the biosynthesis of dopamine from amino acid tyramine, a
substance called dihydroxyphenylalanine, or dopa, crosses the blood
-
brain barrier and in
the CNS is converted
into dopamine, replacing the dopamine that is absent” (Advokat,
2014, p. 563). “Therefore, levodopa is the most effective treatment for the motor disability,
and many practitioners consider an initial beneficial response an important criterion for
the dia
gnosis of parkinsonism (Advokat, 2014, p. 563).
Thus, this medication for Parkinson’s disease is a must for the success and well being of the
patient. This is only one of the many medications that will help patients with mental
disorders, and I will have t
o take a stand for medications that will improve the patient’s
livelihood.
The greatest strengths that I can think of is the research that goes on to provide the
necessary medication for the people with mental disorders. In addition, the correct
assessment
of the patient’s mental disorder and the correct medication for the patient to
take.
On the other hand, the weakness of using medication to treat mental disorders is that
newer medication is not being developed. Furthermore, “pharmaceutical companies are
abandoning their psychotropic research programs” (Advokat, 2014, p. 591). Also, the
overmedication of patients, especially the children and the elderly. The weaknesses are
pretty much the ethical downside of using medication for treating psychological dis
orders.
Thus, strengths of using medication for mental disorders will provide patients a chance to
live a normal (if possible) life, and this can happen if the patient is assessed by a
psychiatrist and the correct medication is prescribed to them.
“Parki
nson’s disease is most commonly found in the elderly population but can be found in
the younger population as well (Advokat, 2014, p. 555).
Here are a few actions and effects
of psychoactive drugs administered to elderly patients: lower dose of medication
are often
W6d1 PSY 630 EXAMPLE ONLY
People with psychological disorders depend on their psychiatrist for medications that will
help maintain their mental wellness. However, there comes a time when treating a patient
for a psychiatric disorder may be misdiagnosed and giving the wrong medication for their
disorder. The patient may have a severe reaction to the medication and the side effects may
cause them to be hospitalized or even cause death. In addition, people may use false
information about their mental status and collect medication to give them a rush or to sell
them to the highest bidder. It is imperative to assess future patients more closely before
prescribing medication. Also, when prescribing medication for a mental disorder, there
needs to be a mix of therapy along with the medication. This would provide a clear image of
the patient’s mental disorder and the progression of recovery.
Here is a disorder called Parkinson’s Disease and the medication I will be presenting is
called Levodopa. “Levodopa is a precursor drug to dopamine, continues to be the mainstay
of therapy for Parkinson’s disease, and is also used in a combination with other
medications” (Advokat, 2014, p. 563). Thus, the loss of dopamine is the primary problem in
patients who have PD, replacement of the dopamine would be expected to ameliorate the
symptoms of the disease. However, because dopamine poorly crosses the blood-brain
barrier from plasma into the central nervous system (Advokat, 2014, p.563). “However, the
precursor compound in the biosynthesis of dopamine from amino acid tyramine, a
substance called dihydroxyphenylalanine, or dopa, crosses the blood-brain barrier and in
the CNS is converted into dopamine, replacing the dopamine that is absent” (Advokat,
2014, p. 563). “Therefore, levodopa is the most effective treatment for the motor disability,
and many practitioners consider an initial beneficial response an important criterion for
the diagnosis of parkinsonism (Advokat, 2014, p. 563).
Thus, this medication for Parkinson’s disease is a must for the success and well being of the
patient. This is only one of the many medications that will help patients with mental
disorders, and I will have to take a stand for medications that will improve the patient’s
livelihood.
The greatest strengths that I can think of is the research that goes on to provide the
necessary medication for the people with mental disorders. In addition, the correct
assessment of the patient’s mental disorder and the correct medication for the patient to
take. On the other hand, the weakness of using medication to treat mental disorders is that
newer medication is not being developed. Furthermore, “pharmaceutical companies are
abandoning their psychotropic research programs” (Advokat, 2014, p. 591). Also, the
overmedication of patients, especially the children and the elderly. The weaknesses are
pretty much the ethical downside of using medication for treating psychological disorders.
Thus, strengths of using medication for mental disorders will provide patients a chance to
live a normal (if possible) life, and this can happen if the patient is assessed by a
psychiatrist and the correct medication is prescribed to them.
“Parkinson’s disease is most commonly found in the elderly population but can be found in
the younger population as well (Advokat, 2014, p. 555). Here are a few actions and effects
of psychoactive drugs administered to elderly patients: lower dose of medication are often