UVU - NURS 2430 - Unit III - Ch.

12: Introduction to
Psychiatric Drugs
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1. Absorption: Getting the drug into the bloodstream 23. Factors to consider if psychotropric medications are NOT
2. Adverse Side Effects: Any effects caused by the drug other working: * Inadequate dosing - dosage is too low
than the desired effects * Insufficient length - the medication hasn't been given enough
time to work
3. Agonist: Activate receptors - increases neurotransmitter activity
* Inconsistent administration - medication is not being taken
4. Antagonist: Blocks receptors - decreases neurotransmitter
regularly/as prescribed
activity
24. IM:
5. Anticholinesterases: Improve/maintain cognition - also called
antidementia agents
6. Anticonvulsants: Psychotropic medications used to slow down
runaway thinking - also called mood stabilizers or antimanic
agents
7. Antidementia Agents: Psychotropic medications used to
improve cognition - also called anticholinesterases
8. Antidepressants: Psychotropic medications used to improve
mood and calm anxiety
9. Antimanic Agents: Psychotropic medications used to slow
down runaway thinking - also called mood stabilizers or Intramuscular route
anticonvulsants 25. IV:
10. Antiparkinsonian Agents: Psychotropic medications used to
correct problems caused by antipsychotic drugs
11. Antipsychotics: Psychotropic medications used to treat
delusions and hallucinations
12. Anxiolytics: Psychotropic medications used to calm anxiety
and sedate
13. ASE: Adverse Side Effects
14. Benefits of IM route?: * Long acting
* Improves compliance
* Fewer administrations
15. Benefits of IV route?: * 100% bioavailability
* Fast acting
* Improves compliance
16. Benefits of PO route?: * Least invasive Intravenous route
* Most common 26. Medication Tolerance: Reduction in receptor sensitivity over
17. Benefits of SL route?: * Fast acting time due to chronic exposure
* Improves compliance 27. Metabolism: Breaking the drug down into inactive and typically
* Increased bioavailability water-soluble form
18. Bioavailability: The fraction of dose that reaches systemic 28. Mood Stabilizers: Psychotropic medications used to slow down
circulation runaway thinking - also called antimanic agents or
19. Desired Effects: What we want or expect the medication to do anticonvulsants

20. Distribution: Getting the drug from the bloodstream to the 29. Neurotransmitter activities in mental disorders:
tissues and organs
21. Down-Regulation: Chronic exposure to certain drugs causes
receptors to change
22. Excretion: Getting the drug out of the body
30. Off-Label Use: Prescribing or using a medication for a purpose 36. PRN:
other than the FDA-approved indications
31. Partial Agonist: Partial activate receptors - partially increases
neurotransmitter activity
32. Pharmacodynamics: What the drug does to the body
33. Pharmocokinetics:

Short for "pro re nata", a Latin phrase literally translating to 'in

the circumstances' or 'as the circumstance arises'. In medicine,
it is used to mean 'as needed'.
37. Psychopharmacological:

What the body does to the drug

34. PO:

The study of medications used to alter brain functioning and

relating to the treatment for mental disorders
38. Psychotropics:
Oral route - abbreviation for "per os", Latin for by mouth or
orally
The preferred route of administration for most/all medications.
35. Polypharmacy:
Medications used to alter brain functioning
39. SL:

Taking more than one medication

Sublingual route
40. Stimulants: Psychotropic medications used to improve
concentration and focus