NR546 Week 4: Anxiolytic Medication Table

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Course

 NR546 Advanced Pharmacology: Psychopharmacology for Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

Preparing the Assignment

Follow these guidelines when completing each component of the assignment. Contact your course faculty if you have questions.

General Instructions

Download the Week 4 Medication Table Download Week 4 Medication Table Open this document with ReadSpeaker docReader and complete the required information using the template.

Include the following sections (detailed criteria listed below and in the grading rubric)

  1. For each medication listed, complete the following:
    1. Provide indication, target symptoms, and affected neurotransmitters.
    2. Include half-life and CYP 450 enzyme information.
    3. List notable side effects.
    4. Link notable side effects to the associated pathway or neurotransmitter.
How to Approach This Assignment

This assignment evaluates your understanding of psychopharmacology, receptor activity, and clinical application.

Indication & Target Symptoms

  • Identify FDA-approved and relevant off-label uses.

  • Specify which psychiatric symptoms are treated (e.g., hallucinations, anxiety, insomnia, mania).

  • Be clear and concise in symptom descriptions.

Affected Neurotransmitters

  • Identify which neurotransmitters are influenced (e.g., dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine, GABA).

  • Include receptor targets when appropriate (D2, 5-HT2A, GABA-A, etc.).

  • Briefly explain how the medication alters neurotransmitter activity (agonist, antagonist, reuptake inhibitor).

Half-Life & CYP 450 Information

  • Provide elimination half-life (short, intermediate, long).

  • Identify major CYP enzymes involved in metabolism (e.g., CYP2D6, CYP3A4, CYP1A2).

  • Mention potential interaction risks if relevant.

Notable Side Effects

List clinically significant side effects such as:

  • Sedation

  • Weight gain

  • Sexual dysfunction

  • Extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS)

  • Metabolic syndrome

  • QT prolongation

  • Orthostatic hypotension

Linking Side Effects to Pathways

This is a critical grading component.

Examples:

  • Dopamine (D2) blockade → EPS, hyperprolactinemia

  • Histamine (H1) blockade → sedation, weight gain

  • Muscarinic blockade → dry mouth, constipation, urinary retention

  • Alpha-1 blockade → orthostatic hypotension

  • Serotonin modulation → sexual dysfunction

Demonstrating this connection shows advanced clinical reasoning.

Key Concepts to Focus On

  • Pharmacodynamics vs. pharmacokinetics

  • Receptor binding profiles

  • CYP 450 metabolism

  • Drug-drug interactions

  • Pathophysiologic basis of side effects

  • Clinical safety considerations

Sample Solution

Click below to access the full sample solution (PDF)