Pharmacology Assignment 2022

Running head: PHARMACOLOGY ASSIGNMENT
PHARMACOLOGY ASSIGNMENT
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author note:

PHARMACOLOGY ASSIGNMENT1
Discussion: exam 2 anti-depression medications:
Question 1:
Drug therapy with an SSRI helps reduce the symptoms of the depression by improving
mood as it increases the extracellular level of serotonin (Russell et al., 2017). In this context, his
mother can experience elevated mood, increased appetite and improved social connection.
(Bushnell et al., 2018). While involving in the therapy, his mother can learn about the symptoms
of depression, the creation of safe environments by eliminating certain items (weapons and
medications). His mother may expect certain side effects of the medication and seeking the help
of the professionals may resolve the issue
Question 2:
The pediatric patients often experience gastrointestinal symptoms such as stomach upset,
nausea and diarrhea. Dwyer et al. (2020), suggested that pediatric patients also experience
headache, blurred vision and anxious while administrated with Selective Serotonin Reuptake
Inhibitor. Therefore, while administrating the medication, the professionals must consider these
side effects of the medications and administrate medication in the optimum dose. Hogg et al.
(2016), highlighted that children and teenager often exhibit an increased level of suicide ideation.
Therefore, while administration the medication, it is crucial to ensure that the pediatric patient
does not experience an increased level of suicidal ideation and commit suicide.
Question 3:
Experience of working with a depressed person:

PHARMACOLOGY ASSIGNMENT2
While placed in the clinical placement, I have interacted with an elderly depressed patient
with diabetic foot ulcer whose husband died 2 years ago. Smith et al., (2018) suggested that
patients with diabetes often feel helpless, hopelessness, loss of appetite, loneliness and
worthlessness. The patient I interacted with often experienced demotivation, lonely and hopeless.
In this context, I communicated with the patient daily and developed a therapeutic relationship so
that she feels empowered and gain motivation to live a healthy life.

PHARMACOLOGY ASSIGNMENT3
References:
Bushnell, G. A., Compton, S. N., Dusetzina, S. B., Gaynes, B. N., Brookhart, M. A., Walkup, J.
T., ... & Stürmer, T. (2018). Treating pediatric anxiety: Initial use of SSRIs and other
anti-anxiety prescription medications. The Journal of clinical psychiatry, 79(1).
Dwyer, J. B., Stringaris, A., Brent, D. A., & Bloch, M. H. (2020). Annual Research Review:
Defining and treating pediatric treatment‐resistant depression. Journal of Child
Psychology and Psychiatry, 61(3), 312-332.
Hogg, S., Ansari, S., Masood, Q., Agius, M., & Rihmer, Z. (2016). Are SSRIs responsible for
precipitating suicidal ideation in teenagers with'subsyndromal'bipolar affective disorder
who have been misdiagnosed with unipolar depression?. Psychiatria Danubina, 28(Suppl
1), 79-82.
Russell, J. L., Spiller, H. A., Chounthirath, T., & Casavant, M. J. (2017). Pediatric ingestion of
vilazodone compared to other selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor medications. Clinical
Toxicology, 55(5), 352-356.
Smith, L., White, S., Stubbs, B., Hu, L., Veronese, N., Vancampfort, D., ... & Yang, L. (2018).
Depressive symptoms, handgrip strength, and weight status in US older adults. Journal of
affective disorders, 238, 305-310.