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Role of Antipsychotic Medications in the Management of Psychiatric Disorders. Need Assignment Help?
Antipsychotic medications are normally used to either diminish or alleviate symptoms of psychotic disorder. The most common symptoms include delusions and hallucinations. Antipsychotics are used as the standard therapy for schizophrenics (Chokhawala & Stevens, 2023). These drugs are also prescribed to individuals experiencing psychosis. This is a widespread symptom in people suffering from bipolar disorder, depression, and Alzheimer's disease. Antipsychotics are also used to stabilize moods in bipolar disorder patients, diminishing anxiety in people diagnosed with anxiety disorders and decreasing involuntary movements and sounds in Tourette's (Chokhawala & Stevens, 2023). Antipsychotics can also be used to calm and eliminate bewilderment in a patient experiencing acute psychosis in numerous hours or days. However, four to six weeks of use may be required for the drugs to fully eliminate or alleviate this symptom. While antipsychotics help manage symptoms, they do not treat the condition causing those symptoms (Chokhawala & Stevens, 2023). Longer term use of antipsychotics can thwart further occurrences of psychotic disorder.
There are normally two types of antipsychotics. They include typical and atypical. While they are effective in managing psychotic disorder, they also have some side effects. These adverse effects are attributed to dopamine D2 receptor antagonism, a major property of antipsychotics (Chokhawala & Stevens, 2023). Managing these side effects is recommended for ensuring the safety of users as well as the efficiency of the medications. Comprehending the prevalent adverse effects associated with these dopamine antagonists is vital as these drugs tend to trigger specific side effects which might not be caused by novel alternatives (Chokhawala & Stevens, 2023).
Side-Effects
The first category of side effects caused by typical antipsychotics is extrapyramidal Symptoms (EPS). They are also called drug-induced movements. They are the characteristic of typical antipsychotic medications. There are four ways through which these movements display. EPS first manifest as an acute dystonic reaction. This is typified by spontaneous muscle contractions, which are normally experienced in the upper and lower limbs, face, neck, tummy, pelvic area, or voice box (Schneider-Thoma et al., 2021). The movements occur in either continued or sporadic patterns, which cause uncharacteristic movements or postures. The movements also display as parkinsonism. This is a clinical disorder typified by the four movement-related symptoms mostly evidenced in patients with Parkinson's disease (Schneider-Thoma et al., 2021). They include tremor, slowed movements, inflexibility, and difficulty maintaining balance. Akathisia is typified by the patient's inability to remain calm and an incapability to sit motionless (Schneider-Thoma et al., 2021). Tardive dyskinesia (TD) is yet another movement-related side effect. This entails spontaneous, recurring movements, normally occurring on the face, the tongue, and appendages. The condition could be irrevocable.