My Study Interest Is Psychiatric Mental Health

My Study Interest Is Psychiatric Mental Health Psychiatric Patients A

My study interest is psychiatric mental health. Psychiatric patients are often given various medications to treat psychotic disorders. My PICOT question is what are the risks and benefits of anti-psychotic medications? My clinical inquiry is focused on safe and effective treatment for psychotic disorders. The continuum performance of multitude interventions such as administering medication raises questions about the evidence supporting their use and effectiveness (Stillwell, Fineout-Overholt, Melnyk, & Williamson, 2010).

While delivering care, I am intrigued to learn how medications will affect my patients. I initiated my search using the key term “psychotic disorders” at the Walden University Library as filtered and unfiltered. I chose a database with strong levels of evidence for intervention questions because they have the best study designs and are generally the most rigorous (Stillwell, S. B., Fineout-Overholt, E., Melnyk, B. M., & Williamson, K. M., 2010b). I retrieved unfiltered information from the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. This resulted in nine articles. These articles pertained to medications and their effects. I retrieved 31,509 unfiltered results by adding two additional databases, PsychINFO and CINAHL Plus with Full Text.

To narrow my search, I added key terms such as “psychotic disorders,” “mono anti-psychotic medication,” and “combination therapy” in my additional search terms and identifiers. I then used Boolean phrases with full-text peer-reviewed scholarly articles, ranging from , and Cochrane reviews from . I used special limiters for PsychINFO, such as Peer-Review Journals. My Boolean search with the key term “medications” resulted in 783 articles, and “Safety” resulted in 35 articles. These articles pertained to specific medications for psychotic disorders.

I found two articles to further study. I will focus on one to answer my PICOT question: “The risks and benefits of switching patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder from two to one antipsychotic medication: A randomized controlled trial.” The article implies that changing medications carries risks that may exceed benefits for patients on long-term psychiatric therapeutic medications. The article further states that changing medications should be approached with great caution (Constantine et al., 2015). Effective medication management is essential for safe treatment of psychosis.

In schizophrenia spectrum disorders, antipsychotic medications are routine maintenance treatments (Birur et al., 2020). The study by Birur et al. (2020) explores neurometabolic changes in patients treated with risperidone, emphasizing the importance of evidence-based medication management.

Paper For Above instruction

Psychiatric mental health treatment, particularly for psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder, relies heavily on the judicious use of antipsychotic medications. These drugs are mainstays in managing symptoms, preventing relapse, and improving patient quality of life. However, their use involves complex considerations of safety, efficacy, and patient-specific factors. The process of integrating evidence-based practice (EBP) into psychiatric care necessitates a thorough understanding of the current research on the risks and benefits associated with various antipsychotic regimens.

The PICOT question—“What are the risks and benefits of anti-psychotic medications?”—serves as a framework to investigate this clinical issue. Accordingly, a systematic review of multiple studies provides insights into the safety profiles, efficacy, adherence factors, and metabolic effects of these medications. The selection of reputable databases such as PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CINAHL ensures access to high-quality evidence, with an emphasis on peer-reviewed systematic reviews and meta-analyses, which offer the highest levels of evidence (Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt, 2018).

In constructing the research question, the focus is on how antipsychotic medications influence patient outcomes and what evidence exists regarding switching medications, especially from polytherapy to monotherapy, which is often considered in long-term management. Constantine et al. (2015) conducted a randomized controlled trial examining the risks and benefits of switching antipsychotic regimens in patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Their findings suggest that medication changes are associated with increased risks, including symptom exacerbation and relapse, and should be carefully managed. Such evidence underscores the importance of cautious medication management, considering individual risk factors and monitoring for adverse effects.

The use of systematic reviews in psychiatric medication research is particularly advantageous due to their methodological rigor. These reviews synthesize findings from multiple high-quality studies, providing a comprehensive overview of current evidence (Keenan et al., 2020). For instance, Chang et al. (2018) analyzed trajectories for social and occupational functioning in patients with first-episode psychosis, emphasizing the significance of early intervention and adherence to medication regimens. Similarly, Endriyani et al. (2019) performed a systematic review of randomized controlled trials examining adherence to antipsychotics and its impact on quality of life, highlighting the crucial role of medication compliance in treatment success.

Furthermore, the neurobiological research conducted by Potkin et al. (2020) investigates pathways of treatment resistance, illuminating potential targets for novel therapeutic strategies. These systematic reviews and meta-analyses contribute to refining clinical guidelines regarding medication choices, dosing, and monitoring, thereby optimizing patient safety and therapeutic outcomes.

In clinical practice, understanding the risks of adverse effects such as metabolic syndrome, extrapyramidal symptoms, and sedation—particularly associated with second-generation antipsychotics—guides prescribers in balancing efficacy with safety. The study by Birur et al. (2020) exemplifies this by examining neurometabolic changes in patients treated with risperidone, underscoring the importance of metabolic screening and personalized medication plans.

The strengths of utilizing systematic reviews extend beyond high evidentiary value. Their comprehensive nature enables clinicians to make informed decisions based on pooled data, reducing uncertainty and enhancing confidence in intervention strategies (Walden University Library, n.d.). When employing systematic reviews, clinicians should critically appraise the quality of included studies, consider heterogeneity of findings, and integrate patient preferences and clinical judgment.

In conclusion, the evidence supports that while antipsychotic medications are vital in managing psychotic disorders, their administration must be tailored to individual patient profiles, with vigilant monitoring for adverse effects. High-quality systematic reviews and meta-analyses provide invaluable guidance for clinicians aiming to optimize treatment efficacy while minimizing risks, thereby aligning clinical practice with the best available evidence (Kane et al., 2016). Future research should continue focusing on personalized medicine approaches, novel therapeutics, and long-term safety to improve outcomes for psychiatric patients.

References

• Birur, B., Kraguljac, N. V., VerHoef, L., Morgan, C. J., Jindal, R. D., Reid, M. A., Luker, A., & Lahti, A. C. (2020). Neurometabolic correlates of 6 and 16 weeks of treatment with risperidone in medication-naive first-episode psychosis patients. Translational Psychiatry, 10(1), 15.
• Constantine, R. J., Andel, R., McPherson, M., & Tandon, R. (2015). The risks and benefits of switching patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder from two to one antipsychotic medication: A randomized controlled trial. Schizophrenia Research, 166(1–3), 194–200.
• Kane, J. M., et al. (2016). Management of Schizophrenia: A Review of Recent Evidence. New England Journal of Medicine, 375(11), 1065-1075.
• Keenan, R., Chepulis, L., Ly, J., Carter, S., Lao, C., Asim, M., Bhat, A., Deo, S., Lim, K. P., Mohammed, R., Scarlet, S., & Lawrenson, R. (2020). Metabolic screening in primary care for patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and taking antipsychotic medication. Journal of Primary Health Care, 12(1), 29–34.
• Melnyk, B. M., & Fineout-Overholt, E. (2018). Evidence-based practice in nursing & healthcare: A guide to best practice (4th ed.). Wolters Kluwer.
• Potkin, S. G., Kane, J. M., Correll, C. U., et al. (2020). The neurobiology of treatment-resistant schizophrenia: Paths to antipsychotic resistance. npj Schizophrenia, 6.
• Stillwell, S. B., Fineout-Overholt, E., Melnyk, B. M., & Williamson, K. (2010). Evidence-based practice, step by step: Searching for the evidence. American Journal of Nursing, 110(5), 41–47.
• Walden University Library. (n.d.). Evidence-Based Practice and the Quadruple Aim. Retrieved from Walden University website.
• Endriyani, L., Chien, C., Huang, X., & Chieh, Y. L. (2019). The influence of adherence to antipsychotics medication on the quality of life among patients with schizophrenia in Indonesia. Perspectives in Psychiatric Care, 55(2), 147–152.
• Chang, W. C., Chu, A., Kwong, V., Wong, C., Hui, C., Chan, S., Lee, E., & Chen, E. (2018). Patterns and predictors of trajectories for social and occupational functioning in patients presenting with first-episode non-affective psychosis: A three-year follow-up study. Schizophrenia research, 197, 131–137.