Psychosis and schizophrenia greatly impact the brain’s normal processes, which interfere with the ability to think clearly. When symptoms of these disorders are uncontrolled, patients may struggle to function in daily life. However, patients often thrive when properly diagnosed and treated under the close supervision of a psychiatric mental health practitioner. For this Assignment, you will develop a study guide for an assigned psychotropic agent for treating patients with Schizophrenia Spectrum and Other Psychotic Disorders. In sum, these study guide will be a powerful tool in preparing for your course and PMHNP certification exam.
ASSIGNMENT
Create a study guide for perphenazine, a psychotropic medication agent. Your study guide should be in the form of an outline with references, and you should incorporate visual elements such as concept maps, charts, diagrams, images, color coding, mnemonics, and/or flashcards. Be creative! It should not be in the format of an APA paper. Your guide should be informed by the FDA-approved and Evidenced-Based, Clinical Practice Guidelines Research but also supported by at least three other scholarly resources.
Areas of importance you should address, but are not limited to, are:
Title page
Description of the Psychopharmacological medication agent including brand and generic names and appropriate FDA indication uses
Any supporting, valid and reliable research for non-FDA uses
Drug classification
The medication mechanism of action
The medication pharmacokinetics
The medication pharmacodynamics
Mechanism of Action
Appropriate dosing, administration route, and any considerations for dosing alterations
Considerations of use and dosing in specific specialty populations to consider children, adolescents, elderly, pregnancy, suicidal behaviors, etc.
Definition of Half-life, why half-life is important, and the half-life for your assigned medication
Side effects/adverse reaction potentials
Contraindications for use including significant drug to drug interactions
Overdose Considerations
Diagnostics and labs monitoring
Comorbidities considerations
Legal and ethical considerations
Pertinent patient education considerations
Reference Page
Perphenazine Study Guide
Title Page: Perphenazine Study Guide
Description:
Brand name: Trilafon
Generic name: Perphenazine
FDA indication: Treatment of schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders
Research for non-FDA uses:
Perphenazine has been found to be effective in treating acute mania in bipolar disorder in combination with lithium or valproic acid (Fagiolini, A., et al., 2004)
Perphenazine has been found to be effective in reducing symptoms of anxiety in patients with schizophrenia (Zhang, J. P., et al., 2016)
Drug classification:
Perphenazine is classified as a typical antipsychotic medication
Medication mechanism of action:
Perphenazine blocks dopamine receptors in the brain, reducing the overactivity of dopamine that can lead to the symptoms of psychosis
Medication pharmacokinetics:
Perphenazine is well absorbed after oral administration
The onset of action is within 1-2 hours
The half-life is about 24 hours
Medication pharmacodynamics:
Perphenazine blocks dopamine receptors in the brain
It also has some antihistamine and anticholinergic properties
Appropriate dosing:
The recommended starting dose for adults is 8-16 mg/day, divided into 2-4 doses
The maximum recommended dose is 32 mg/day
The medication should be administered orally, either as tablets or as an oral solution
Dosing should be adjusted based on the patient’s response and side effect profile
Considerations for dosing in specific populations:
In children and adolescents, dosing should be lower and titrated more slowly
In the elderly, dosing should be lower and titrated more slowly due to increased risk of side effects
Perphenazine should not be used in pregnancy due to potential risks to the fetus
In patients with suicidal behaviors, close monitoring is necessary
Half-life:
The half-life of perphenazine is about 24 hours
The half-life is important because it determines how long the medication stays in the body and how often it needs to be dosed
Side effects/adverse reaction potentials:
Common side effects include drowsiness, dry mouth, constipation, and blurred vision
Less common but serious side effects include tardive dyskinesia (a movement disorder) and neuroleptic malignant syndrome (a potentially life-threatening reaction)
Contraindications for use:
Perphenazine should not be used in patients with known hypersensitivity to the medication
It should be used with caution in patients with cardiovascular disease or risk factors for cardiovascular disease
It should not be used in combination with other medications that prolong the QT interval
Overdose Considerations:
Symptoms of overdose include drowsiness, confusion, and seizures
Treatment of overdose includes supportive care and gastric lavage if necessary
Diagnostics and labs monitoring:
Baseline ECG and blood pressure should be obtained before starting perphenazine
Periodic monitoring of ECG and blood pressure is recommended during treatment
Periodic monitoring of weight and glucose levels is also recommended
Comorbidities considerations:
Perphenazine should be used with caution in patients with cardiovascular disease or risk factors for cardiovascular disease
It should not be used in patients with Parkinson’s disease
Legal and ethical considerations:
Perphenazine is a controlled substance and should be prescribed and dispensed according to federal and state laws
Patients should be informed of the potential for abuse and
