Pharmacotherapeutic Agents in the Treatment of Mental Health Disorders Essay

Introduction

The pharmacotherapeutic agent involves the use of somatic treatments, drugs, and pharmaceuticals, to treat mental disorders. In drug therapy, then the most effective and recommended psychoactive classified with the disorder they treat as follows:

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Antidepressants, against depression

Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). Examples are venlafaxine, desvenlafaxine, and duloxetine. Norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake inhibitors like bupropion,

Tricyclic antidepressants, amitriptyline, and nortriptyline to treat depression. They suppress the reuptake of norepinephrine and serotonin by the presynaptic neurons in the central nervous system. They have been known to treat chronic pain. Side effects include digestive disorders like constipation, anticholinergic effects vision blur, cardiotoxic in case of overdosage. Antipsychotic drugs used to cure psychotic disorders like schizophrenia and behavioral disorders include; chlorpromazine, thiothixene, and haloperidol. Antipsychotics have also evolved into a class of atypical antipsychotics like ziprasidone, risperidone, and olanzapine (Buttaro et al. 2017). For patients with resistance to antipsychotic drugs, clozapine has been effective. They are categorized as either:

First generation antipsychotic agents. Not too effective for especially for schizophrenia patients. Mode of administration is injections or oral ingestion. The antipsychotic agents include Fluphenazine (Moderate), Haldol (haloperidol), and Chlorpromazine (Thorazine). Side effects are hypotension, especially for Chlorpromazine.

Second Generation Antipsychotics. Emergent in the 1990s, with the discovery of clozapine. The mechanism is by counters and neutralizes Dopamine and Serotonins. On the side effects is weight gain. Agents include clozapine and olanzapine.

Third generation atypicals. Third level psychotics, with lesser effect than their preceding generations. Their agents are Abilify (Aripiprazole), administered orally. All these with side effects dry mucous membranes, hypotension, breast tissue disorders, sedation, and allergic reactions. Secondary effects may cause tardive dyskinesia (TD) and Extrapyramidal Symptoms EPS.

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) used in treatment against anxiety related to panic attacks or phobic disorders. They block off neural uptake of serotonin, availing it at the synaptic cleft, and resulting to mood elevation. The commonest SSRI agents include Prozac, citalopram, clonazepam, lorazepam, and diazepam. The side effects range from low libido levels, aggressiveness, insomnia, seizures, and nightmares. The risk of Serotonin syndrome given overdependence on this drug. As such, the cessation should be progressive not abrupt cold-turkey.

Antianxiety medications, alleviate anxiety

Monoamine oxidase inhibitors. This for advanced cases and first line and second line medications have failed. The MAOI agents are phenelzine (Nardil), tranylcypromine (Parnate), isocarboxazid (Marplan)

Benzodiazepines. They treat anxiety disorders, by rousing the main calming neurotransmitter in the Central nervous system gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Are effective in that they have immediate direct effects. Benzodiazepine agents are Diazepam (Valium), alprazolam (Xanax), lorazepam (Ativan)

Xanax. Mood stabilizers in the treatment of bipolar disorders. Examples are lithium, carbamazepine, lamotrigine, and topiramateElectro conclusive therapy for chronic depression. An aestheticized patient is subjected to mild electrocution. This results in a brain seizure. Side effects are a potential memory loss. Magnetic stimulation, for malignant depression. For acute resistance to antibiotics and psychotherapies, then use of magnets and some medical implants that trigger the activity of the vagus nerve. Neurotransmitters are thus transmitting nerve impulses that relieve depression, mood, or affective disorders.

Stimulants. Drugs that excites some vital process be it alertness, attention, energy, heart rate, blood pressure, and respiratory processes. They are a diagnosis for cases of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Agents include methylphenidate, amphetamine, and dextroamphetamine. The effect of relaxation or alertness is felt albeit with side effects of unease in sleep, appetite loss, or headaches.

Evaluation of two Diagnostic tools for dizziness and vertigo

These approaches must be informed of evidence, but looking into their methodologies, they seem to fall short of this.

Neuroimaging. This is employed across a range of neurological conditions and not focused on vertigo and dizziness. It involves an assortment of techniques notably: functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), Computerized Tomography (CT), position Emission Computed (PET), and Single Positron Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT). Given the logistics and initial cost, this is suitable for brain traumas diagnosis. Isolated vertigo symptoms say transient ischemic attacks might be unrecognizable. Pegged on the precepts of measure of blood circulation in the brain during emotional and intellectual processes, it is subject to the impediments of inaccuracy (Papadakis, McPhee & Rabow, 2018). Additionally, there have been issues of risks of brain damage, cancer risks due to exposure to radiation, poor resolution, hearing losses and expensive medical procedures.

Middle ear test. It is also called tympanometry testing. This is done to scour for any anomalies in the middle ear. Be it fluid retention or perforations. By applying pressure on the eardrum, makes it move back and forth. The acoustic reflex test identifies the location of the problem by transmitting sound to the middle ear. The effectiveness of this lies in distinguishing it from stroke; the disorder could be a symptom of stroke (Papadakis, McPhee & Rabow, 2018).

Notably, the cases are mainly those of misdiagnosis for stroke or exhaustion. This leads to fatal prescriptions, undertreatment, and waste of resources for the hospital - consequently, life losses. The efficient solution to this would be bedside diagnosis -- where vertigo or dizziness are grouped by timings (ceasing attacks against continuous) and trigger (positional versus no positional). Through using these variables, medics can zero in on the specific eye movements to ascertain whether there are peripheral or central causes (Buttaro et al. 2017).

References

Buttaro, T., Trybulski, J., Polgar-Bailey, P., & Sandberg-Cook, J. (2017). Primary care: A collaborative practice (5th ed.). Mosby, Inc. ISBN-9780323355018

Papadakis, M. A., McPhee, S. J., & Rabow, M. W. (2018). CURRENT medical diagnosis and treatment 2018 (57th ed.). Columbus, OH: McGraw-Hill Medical. ISBN-10: 1259861481 ISBN-13: 9781259861482

Buttaro, T., Trybulski, J., Polgar-Bailey, P., & Sandberg-Cook, J. (2017).