The patient presents to the emergency department with a headache in the back of the head, palpitations, neck stiffness, nausea, vomiting, sweating, dilated pupils, tachycardia, and chest pain
Blood pressure measures 180/124 and heart rate is 168 beats per minute. The spouse says the only medication he takes is something for depression but she does not know the name of the drug and the patient is also unable to supply the name. What classification of antidepressant does the nurse suspect this patient is taking? A) Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs)
B) Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
C) Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs)
D) Antianxiety antidepressants
A
Feedback:
MAOIs have several serious adverse effects that can be fatal. This patient's symptoms indicate fatal hypertensive crisis characterized by occipital headache, palpitations, neck stiffness, nausea, vomiting, sweating, dilated pupils, photophobia, tachycardia, and chest pain. It may progress to intracranial bleeding and fatal stroke. SSRIs and TCAs are not associated with these particular symptoms. Antianxiety antidepressants are not a classification of antidepressants.
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