Psychiatric Medications Q 40
The nurse is assessing a client who has just been admitted to the emergency department. Which signs would suggest an overdose of an antianxiety agent?
A. Combativeness, sweating, and confusion
B. Agitation, hyperactivity, and grandiose ideation
C. Emotional lability, euphoria, and impaired memory
D. Suspiciousness, dilated pupils, and increased blood pressure
Correct Answer: C. Emotional lability, euphoria, and impaired memory
Signs of antianxiety agent overdose include emotional lability, euphoria, and impaired memory. The classic presentation in patients with isolated benzodiazepine overdose will include central nervous system (CNS) depression with normal or near-normal vital signs. Many patients will still be arousable and even provide a reliable history. Classic symptoms include slurred speech, ataxia, and altered mental status.
Option A: Phencyclidine overdose can cause combativeness, sweating, and confusion. PCP begins to cause symptoms at a dose of 0.05mg/kg, and a dose of 20 mg or more can cause seizures, coma, and death. It is mainly metabolized by the liver, and 10% is excreted in the kidneys. Inhalation (the most common route of administration) and intravenous routes of administration produce symptoms in 2 to 5 minutes. Oral ingestion produces symptoms in 30 to 60 minutes.
Option B: Amphetamine overdose can result in agitation, hyperactivity, and grandiose ideation. Methamphetamine (METH) and its derivative, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), are extensively abused drugs, and the acute effects of these drugs include increased alertness, hyperthermia, decreased appetite, and euphoria. However, long-term abuse can result in neurotoxicity and psychosis.
Option D: Hallucinogen overdose can produce suspiciousness, dilated pupils, and increased blood pressure. Classic hallucinogens can cause users to see images, hear sounds, and feel sensations that seem real but do not exist. The effects generally begin within 20 to 90 minutes and can last as long as 12 hours in some cases (LSD) or as short as 15 minutes in others (synthetic DMT). Hallucinogen users refer to the experiences brought on by these drugs as “trips.” If the experience is unpleasant, users sometimes call it a “bad trip.”