Bipolar Therapy
Client of Korean Descent/Ancestry
Decision Point One
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B Begin Risperdal 1 mg orally BIDegin Risperdal 1 mg orally BID
RESULTS OF DECISION POINT ONE
Client returns to clinic in four weeks
Client is accompanied today by her mother who must help the client into your office, the client looks very sedated and lethargic
Client's mother explains that “she has been like this since about a week after the last office visit”
Decision Point Two
RESULTS OF DECISION POINT TWO
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Discontinue Risperdal and start Lithium sustained release 300 mg orally BID
Client returns to clinic in four weeks
Client no longer lethargic after the end of the first week
Client has a slight decrease in her Young Mania Rating Scale (from 22 to 19)
Client reports that her sleep is again decreasing, but that overall, she is happy
Decision Point Three
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Make no changes at this time & reevaluate in 4 weeks
Guidance to Student
Recall that the client is of Korean descent and is positive for CYP2D6*10 allele. As a result, she may be demonstrating slower clearance of Risperdal from her system, resulting in higher than normal levels of Risperdal in the blood, resulting in sedation. The client responded well to the discontinuation of Risperdal and after about a week of drug cessation, she was no longer lethargic/sedate. However, in the following 3 weeks, she had experienced increased symptoms, although a slight improvement in YMSR score was noted. You could make no changes at this time and allow the lithium to remain at its current dose for an additional 4 weeks and reassess. Conversely, you can increase the lithium to 450 mg orally BID and then reassess in 4. The additional milligrams may hasten mood stabilization. Risperdal 0.5 mg orally BID may be appropriate if the clients’ symptoms are worsening, however, you would need to have the client return to the office sooner than 4 weeks for an interim visit to assess effects of drug and presence of somnolence/lethargy.
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DECISIONPOINTS.docx
