What is the Therapeutic Effects of Lithium?

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: Lithium is commonly used as a mood stabilizer in the treatment of bipolar disorder. One of its main therapeutic effects is its ability to prevent or decrease the incidence of acute manic episodes in individuals with bipolar disorder. Lithium can help stabilize mood swings and reduce the severity and frequency of manic episodes. By regulating neurotransmitter levels in the brain, lithium helps to balance mood and prevent the extreme highs associated with mania. It is an essential medication for managing bipolar disorder and is particularly effective in treating manic symptoms.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: Albuterol is a medication commonly used to treat asthma and other respiratory conditions. It works by relaxing the muscles in the airways, allowing the air passages to widen and making it easier to breathe. This bronchodilation effect helps to relieve symptoms such as wheezing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness. Albuterol is classified as a short-acting beta-agonist, and its therapeutic use lies in its ability to provide quick relief during acute asthma attacks or to prevent exercise-induced bronchospasm.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: Valproate is a medication commonly used to treat seizures and prevent migraine headaches. It acts by suppressing seizure activity and stabilizing electrical activity in the brain. Valproate is a broad-spectrum anticonvulsant drug that can be an effective treatment for epilepsy and migraine prophylaxis. It works by increasing the levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a neurotransmitter that inhibits brain activity, thus reducing the frequency and severity of seizures and migraine attacks. Glipizide is an oral antidiabetic drug used to treat type 2 diabetes, hydrochlorothiazide is a diuretic used to treat high blood pressure, and atropine is a medication with various uses, including dilating the pupils and reducing secretions during surgery.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: Drug tolerance occurs when a person needs more of a drug to achieve the same effect they initially experienced with a lower dose. In this scenario, the client mentioning that they do not get the same relief with the pain medication suggests that their body has built up a tolerance to the medication. This is different from drug addiction, which involves a psychological and physical reliance on a drug, and physical dependence, which is the body's adaptation to a drug leading to withdrawal symptoms when the drug is stopped. Psychological dependence involves a perceived need for a drug due to psychological reasons rather than physical necessity. In this case, the client's statement points to drug tolerance as the likely reason for experiencing decreased effectiveness of the pain medication.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The half-life is the time required for the concentration of a drug in the blood to decrease by 50%. It serves as an indication of the time required for a dosing regimen to achieve a steady state concentration of the drug in the blood. Understanding the half-life of a drug is crucial for determining the dosing interval needed to maintain therapeutic levels. Long half-lives require less frequent dosing to reach steady state, while short half-lives demand more frequent dosing to achieve the desired drug concentration in the blood over time.