G.G.'s condition is stable and the edphysician discusses what has happened with G.G. the physician gives G.G. a prescription for a "week's worth" of medication and instructs G.G. to see his primary care physician for further treatment and eval
The physician gives G.G. a prescription for alprazolam (Xanax) 0.5 mg tid to last 1 week and
instructs G.G. to see his primary care physician for further treatment and evaluation. Why
do you think the physician gave G.G. a prescription for only 1 week of Xanax?
What medications are used to treat panic attacks? What will your patient teaching include?
Benzodiazepines, such as alprazolam, should be used only on a short-term basis when a quick-
acting medication is needed until another medication, such as an antidepressant, takes effect. The
benzodiazepine may be slowly tapered, depending on the length of therapy, and discontinued.
Anxiolytics:Alprazolam (Xanax), lorazepam (Ativan), and clonazepam (Klonopin) are used for short-
term treatment of panic disorder. They are taken on an as-needed (PRN) basis because of the
potential for addiction. They should not be taken with other central nervous system medications
because of potential for overdose and respiratory arrest. The patient should not drive after taking
these medications. Side effects might include drowsiness, poor coordination, and dry mouth.
Nonbenzodiazepine anxiolytics:Buspirone (BuSpar) has no potential for addiction. However, some
practitioners do not consider this drug to be as effective as others for panic disorder. It takes
2 to 4 weeks for buspirone to reach full effectiveness. Common side effects include dizziness,
headache, drowsiness, and nausea. It should not be taken with grapefruit or related citrus fruits.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs):These agents include fluoxetine (Prozac), paroxetine
(Paxil), sertraline (Zoloft), and venlafaxine (Effexor). Patients should take these medications as
prescribed. Symptoms might not improve for 2 to 4 weeks. Side effects may include sweating,
sedation, agitation, gastrointestinal upset (if taken without food), decreased libido, and
lightheadedness. The dosage can be adjusted periodically to ensure medication efficacy. These
medications must not be stopped abruptly.
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A nurse is collecting data from a home care client. In addition to information about the client's health status, what is another observation the nurse should make?
A) Number of rooms in the house B) Safety of the immediate environment C) Frequency of home visits to be made D) Friendliness of the client and family
Since the terminal patient is dying, they do NOT require much care
True False