What is the treatment of choice for refractory schizophrenia?
A: Haloperidol
B: Clozapine
C: Risperidone
D: Fluphenazine
E: Lithium - B: Clozapine
... [Show More] has come to be the accepted as the treatment of choice in patients with schizophrenia that is refractory to other treatment methods
A 52 year old Caucasian female is brought to the emergency room by her brother who found her unconscious in her living room this afternoon. He reports that this is not the first time that this has happened, and he is fairly certain that it is another suicide attempt following an argument that she had with her husband over the huge shopping spree she went on the day before. Which of the following psychiatric conditions is most likely in this patient?
A: Bipolar Disorder
B: Dysthymic Disorder
C: Brief Psychotic Disorder
D: Delusional Disorder
E: Schizophrenia - Answer A: Bipolar disorder is characterized by impulsivity, and repeated self-destructive behavior, including suicide attempts.
How long must a patient have an abnormally and persistently elevated, expansive, or irritable mood to be classified as a Hypomanic Episode?
A: 1 day
B: 2 days
C: 3 days
D: 4 days
E: Greater than 5 days - Answer D: Patients must exhibit these symptoms for at least four days to be classified as having a Hypomanic Episode according to the DSM Criteria.
A very depressed patient presents to your office for treatment. The patient has great difficulty "getting going" early in the day, but is sleeping fine. Which of the following would be the most appropriate pharmacological intervention for this patient?
A: Trazodone
B: Mirtazapine
C: Paroxetine
D: Sertraline
E: Duloxetine - Answer D: Sertraline is an antidepressant which is activating, and may be used to help relieve this patient's symptoms.
This is an antidepressant medication that is sometimes used at lower doses to produce a sedating effect, to help patients get to sleep - Trazodone
This medication is generally used for depression with insomnia and decreased appetite - Mirtazapine
This medication is used for depression with anxiety - Paroxetine
This medication is most used in combination with other medications, and is not particularly activating - Duloxetine
A 14 year old boy is brought to the emergency room by his mother. Two days earlier his older brother had died in a serious car accident. The boy had become hysterical at the funeral, yelling and having to be restrained. He has been agitated at home, and his mother and father have not been able to get him to calm down. Since yesterday he has been sitting on his bed, rocking back and forth, and mumbling to himself about bees coming to get him. His mother states that he was completely normal before the car accident. Urine drug screen is negative. Which of the following is this patient's most likely diagnosis?
A: Grief
B: Post-traumatic stress disorder
C: Brief psychotic disorder
D: Drug induced psychosis
E: Schizophrenia - Answer C: This is the most likely diagnosis in this patient. The symptoms that he is experiencing are much more severe than that of a normal grief pattern, and he was reportedly normal prior to the death of his brother.
Which of the following drugs would be most appropriate for a 28 year old female with Major Depressive disorder, single episode, moderate who has QT prolongation syndrome. The patient is not exhibiting any symptoms of psychosis or mania.
A: fluoxetine
B: paroxetine
C: lamotrigine
D: olanzapine
E: phenelzine - Answer B: This is the best choice as current research shows that paroxetine carries the least potential for QT prolongation of the SSRIs.
Which of the following is not common in patients with alcoholism?
A: Legal problems
B: Elevated MCV
C: Hypocalcemia
D: Elevated serum uric acid
E: Elevated triglycerides - Answer C: Hypocalcemia is not a common finding in the alcoholic patient. [Show Less]