Drug Therapy- Model Answer

Question 1

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Answer 1

Drug therapy aims to manipulate a patients bodily process, with the goal of reducing the symptoms of their mental health disorder.
Mental illnesses such as, schizophrenia, depression and anxiety are treated with drugs to change the chemical imbalances in the brain.

Question 2

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Answer 2

Schizophrenia is assumed to be caused by excess dopamine to the brain therefore, people with schizophrenia may take antipsychotic drugs to treat symptoms such as, hallucinations and delusions. There are two types of antipsychotic drugs conventional and Atypical. Conventional drugs, for example chlorpromazine work by binding to dopamine receptors in the brain and blocks the dopamine receptors but stimulating them, this then reduces the flow of dopamine in the brain and reduces schizophrenic symptoms.

Question 3

Give the second half of the 2 paragraph

Answer 3

A patient may then experience side effects such as, tardive dyskinesia symptoms such as tongue protrusion. Atypical drugs are a newer development, risperidone works similarly however, only temporarily blocking dopamine receptor sites and then dissociate so dopamine flow can be restored. Therefore, this explains why the side effects such as, dry mouth are less extreme than conventional drug side effects.

Question 4

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Answer 4

Depression is thought to be caused by a lack of serotonin, leaving the patient having low mood.
Antidepressant drugs such as, SSRI’s are used to treat depression by causing an increase in availability of serotonin in the synapse.
SSRI’s such as, Prozal work by binding to the reuptake transporters on the pre-synaptic neuron, inhibiting the process of the reuptake of serotonin so less is absorbed.

Question 5

Give the second half of the 3 paragraph

Answer 5

Therefore, allowing more serotonin to build up in the synaptic cleft, making more available to bind to receptors.
As a result of intake of SSRI’s drugs the patient may experience side effects such as, drowsiness and nausea.

Question 6

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Answer 6

Anxiety is caused by an imbalance of the emotional centre, leading to an overproduction of adrenaline and often ‘fight or flight’ response.
Anti anxiety drugs such as, Benzodiazepines (BZ’s) and Beta Blockers are used to calm the body’s stress responses.

Question 7

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Answer 7

BZ’s such as, Valium slow the activity of the CNS by enhancing the activity of GABA (a neurotransmitter that relieves stress because people with anxiety lack sufficient production of GABA, this drug increase its production).
Propranolol drugs is an example of Beta blockers, they work by binding to receptors on the cells to the heart. BB’s will block the receptor on these cells, slowing their function, resulting in a decrease in heart rate, making the patient feel less anxious. The patient may experience common side effects such as, dizziness or at higher doses experience uncommon side effects such as, amnesia.