Hi, I'm Cathy with Level Up RN. In this video, I will be discussing four key neurotransmitters
that are commonly affected by mental health medications. I will also be talking about
important teaching that you need to provide your patient who is prescribed psychiatric
medication. And at the end of the video, I'm going to give you guys a little quiz to test
your knowledge of some of the key points I'll be covering, so definitely stay tuned for that. And
if you have our Level Up RN psychiatric mental health nursing flashcards, pull them out. I am
about a third of the way through our therapy section. We just wrapped up coverage of our
non-pharmacological therapies, and now we will be discussing pharmacological therapies. As a review,
a neurotransmitter is a chemical messenger that allows neurons to communicate with one another.
So a neurotransmitter is released by one neuron into the synapse where it binds to the receptors
of another neuron. After binding, some of these neurotransmitters can be taken back up into the
first neuron and used again. This is referred to as reuptake. So an important thing to note
is that the mode of action of many psychiatric medications is to block this reuptake. And this,
in turn, increases the amount of a neurotransmitter in the synapse.
Four key neurotransmitters that are commonly affected by psychiatric medications include GABA,
serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that decreases
nerve excitability and has a calming effect. So medications such as benzodiazepines and certain
mood stabilizers work by increasing levels of GABA. Our cool chicken hint to help you remember
this neurotransmitter is Gabby gabs non-stop, and it makes her friends very sleepy just like the
effects of the neurotransmitter GABA. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that regulates mood, attention,
and sleep. And several of the drug classes that we will be talking about in this video playlist work
by blocking reuptake of serotonin, which increases the amount of circulating serotonin in the brain.
Very common drug classes that have this mode of action include SSRIs as well as SSNRIs.
Norepinephrine is a neurotransmitter that affects stress, sleep, attention,
and focus, as well as autonomic nervous system function. Several different antidepressants work
by increasing levels of norepinephrine, including tricyclic antidepressants and SSNRIs. And finally,
dopamine is an important neurotransmitter that regulates movement, attention, motivation,
and reward. And alterations in dopamine have been linked to disorders such as schizophrenia and
ADHD. And several of the medication classes that we will be talking about in this video
playlist altered levels of dopamine, including antipsychotic agents, as well as buspirone.
Let's move on now to important teaching that you'll want to provide your patient who is
prescribed a psychiatric medication. So each medication, of course, has specific side effects
and specific considerations that you'll definitely want to cover with your patient. However, there is
general teaching that is also important to convey to your patient who is prescribed a mental health
medication. First of all, medications should be taken exactly as prescribed. The patient should
not discontinue or change the dose without talking with the provider first. And if they miss a dose,
they shouldn't just double up on their next dose unless specifically instructed to do so
by their provider. The patient should notify their provider of any herbal supplements,
over-the-counter medications, or prescription medications they are taking because several
of the mental health medications we'll be talking about interact with other
medications and supplements. And some of these interactions can be life-threatening.
The patient should also be made aware that it can take several weeks to feel the full effects
of a medication. So they should not expect immediate results for most of the mental
health medications that we'll be talking about. Because many psychiatric medications increase
the risk for serotonin syndrome, it's important to teach your patient to notify the provider for
any signs and symptoms of serotonin syndrome, which include agitation, diaphoresis, fever,
nausea and vomiting, tachycardia, muscle rigidity, and tremors. It's also important to tell your
patient that they should not take St. John's Wort, which is a common herbal supplement, alongside
their psychiatric medication because this can further increase the risk for serotonin syndrome.
All right, it's quiz time. Are you guys ready? I have three questions for you. First question.
Blank is a neurotransmitter that decreases nerve excitability and has a calming effect.
The answer is GABA. Question number two. Excess levels of what neurotransmitter can cause symptoms
such as agitation, fever, diaphoresis, tremors, and tachycardia? The answer is serotonin. So those
are the symptoms of serotonin syndrome. Question number three. When taken with a psychiatric
medication, blank is a key herbal supplement that increases a patient's risk for serotonin syndrome.
The answer is St. John's Wort. Okay. I hope you did great with that quiz,
and I hope you enjoyed this video. Take care and good luck with studying.