Schizophrenia Q 33
The nurse is teaching a psychiatric client about her prescribed drugs, chlorpromazine, and benztropine. Why is benztropine administered?
A. To reduce psychotic symptoms.
B. To reduce extrapyramidal symptoms.
C. To control nausea and vomiting.
D. To relieve anxiety.
Correct Answer: B. To reduce extrapyramidal symptoms
Benztropine is an anticholinergic medication, administered to reduce the extrapyramidal adverse effects of chlorpromazine and other antipsychotic medications. Consequently, it reduces central cholinergic effects by blocking muscarinic receptors that appear to improve the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Thus, benztropine blocks the cholinergic muscarinic receptor in the central nervous system. Therefore, it reduces the cholinergic effects significantly during Parkinson’s disease which becomes more pronounced in the nigrostriatal tract because of reduced dopamine concentrations.
Option A: The first-generation antipsychotics work by inhibiting dopaminergic neurotransmission. Their effectiveness is best when they block about 72% of the D2 dopamine receptors in the brain. They also have noradrenergic, cholinergic, and histaminergic blocking action. Second-generation antipsychotics work by blocking D2 dopamine receptors as well as serotonin receptor antagonist action. The 5-HT2A subtype of serotonin receptor is most commonly involved.
Option C: Benzodiazepines are mainly used as adjunctive agents to reduce anxiety, anticipatory nausea and vomiting, and refractory emesis occurring despite adequate prophylaxis regimens. Lorazepam (Ativan) and alprazolam (Xanax) are the most commonly used drugs in this class.
Option D: Acute anxiety may require treatment with a benzodiazepine. Chronic anxiety treatment consists of psychotherapy, pharmacotherapy, or a combination of both. Pharmacotherapy: selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), benzodiazepines, tricyclic antidepressants, mild tranquilizers, and beta-blockers treat anxiety disorders.