The Impact of Psycho-Education on Health Knowledge Essay

Major Depressive Disorder

The aim of treatment is to allow recovery from depression with the patient developing resilience in life and regaining social functions (Seiger et.al., 2021). According to the American Psychological Association (APA), initial treatment of moderate to severe MDD should be treated using monotherapy of either a second-generation antidepressant such as an SNRI (serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors), or SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) OR cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). An alternative first-line treatment involves combining antidepressants (Second generation) and CBT (McConnel et.al., 2019). Treatment occurs in three phases: acute, continuation, and recovery. Furthermore, medication should be first given from the lowest doses to decrease the possibility of extreme adverse reactions (Edinoff et.al., 2021). The Impact of Psycho-Education on Health Knowledge Essay

According to the guidelines I would thus prescribe an SSRI as the first-line agent to stabilize the patient’s mood, following the acquisition of consent from the patient. Consent would foster shared decision-making during the treatment and would aid in the maintenance of an active therapeutic relationship. Examples of SSRIs include Sertraline, Fluoxetine, and Citalopram among others (Roberts et.al., 2020). The selection of an SSRI is based on the MDD treatment guidelines coupled with the better tolerance and safety profile of the drugs.

ORDER  HERE A PLAGIARISM-FREE PAPER HERE

SSRIs act by inhibiting the presynaptic serotonin transporter thus preventing its reuptake, which translates to increased serotonin activity (Roberts et.al., 2020). Based on the selectivity of the serotonin transporter, it has fewer side effects as it doesn’t alter norepinephrine or dopamine compared to other antidepressants such as MAOIs and TCAs. Some of the side effects to warn the patient about include gastrointestinal disturbances such as nausea, suicidality, weight gain, xerostomia, anxiety, sexual disturbances, and risk of arrhythmia. Additionally, paroxetine is contraindicated in pregnancy (Edinoff et.al., 2021). The Impact of Psycho-Education on Health Knowledge Essay

Before administration, some tests need to be performed to ensure the proper functioning of the patient’s body. These include electrocardiograms, Liver function tests, kidney function tests, and blood sugar levels. Some of the precautions taken include proper liver function as the drugs are metabolized in the liver, proper cardiac function due to the risk of arrhythmias, and while giving paroxetine ensure that the patient isn’t pregnant. Furthermore, other tests such as thyroid function tests, imaging, and detailed family and past medical history are important to rule out other organic causes of the mood disorder in the patient.

Patient education includes the mode of administration (orally), timing, dosages, and side effects to watch out for (Hedayati et.al., 2022). Of importance to note is that medication needs to be patient-tailored to ensure optimal benefit to the patient while minimizing adverse reactions. Studies indicate that patient education often translates to better patient outcomes as it improves compliance. The Impact of Psycho-Education on Health Knowledge Essay

The patient should be monitored for a period of at least six weeks to ensure that she tolerates the drugs administered. Additionally, this is the period it takes for the drug’s effects to be felt by the patient. Following this period, then the dosage can safely be increased depending on the patient’s response. BMI and weight should be assessed constantly to determine any metabolic effects of the drugs. For patients with cardiac risks, ECGs should be used to monitor for arrhythmia. With every visit, the patient’s vitals should be assessed to monitor for adverse reactions (Edinoff et.al., 2021). Moreover, sexual dysfunction, insomnia, and anxiety also need regular monitoring and assessment. The Impact of Psycho-Education on Health Knowledge Essay

References

Edinoff, A. N., Akuly, H. A., Hanna, T. A., Ochoa, C. O., Patti, S. J., Ghaffar, Y. A., … & Kaye, A. M. (2021). Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and adverse effects: a narrative review. Neurology International, 13(3), 387-401. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpsy/article/PIIS2215-0366(21)00154-1/fulltext

Hedayati, A., Norouzi, N., & Hossein, Z. S. A. (2022). The impact of psycho-education on health knowledge of depression and adherence to treatment in depressed patients. J Clin Images Med Case Rep, 3(8), 2009. https://jcimcr.org/pdfs/JCIMCR-v3-2009.pdf

McConnell, V. L., Carter, S. L., & Patterson, K. (2019). Major depressive disorder: treatment-resistant depression and augmentation of other medication classes. Medsurg Nursing, 28(4), 251-256. https://search.proquest.com/openview/a648f69aa5b9552dd2951f8d1ec06dcf/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=30764

Roberts, C., Sahakian, B. J., & Robbins, T. W. (2020). Psychological mechanisms and functions of 5-HT and SSRIs in potential therapeutic change: Lessons from the serotonergic modulation of action selection, learning, affect, and social cognition. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 119, 138-167. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0149763420305583

Seiger, R., Gryglewski, G., Klöbl, M., Kautzky, A., Godbersen, G. M., Rischka, L., … & Lanzenberger, R. (2021). The influence of acute SSRI administration on white matter microstructure in patients suffering from major depressive disorder and healthy controls. The Impact of Psycho-Education on Health Knowledge Essay 

You were called as a PMNHP to evaluate and treat a 34-year-old female hospitalized in the local mental health facility. The client has a long history of depressed mood and anhedonia, but has never been on a psychiatric medication. You diagnosed the client with a major depressive disorder and decided to start the client on a medication for stabilization. The Impact of Psycho-Education on Health Knowledge Essay

In a 2-3 page paper,

Discuss what would guide your decision in selecting a drug for this client?
Describe the medication you would prescribe, provide the rationale.
Discuss medication education on the medication selected, including pharmacological actions, therapeutic indications, precautions/side effects, dosage and clinical guideline, and any laboratory interferences. The Impact of Psycho-Education on Health Knowledge Essay