Psychotropic Side Effects
This condition, characterized by fever, rigidity, altered mental status, and autonomic instability, is a medical emergency caused by antipsychotics.
What is Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS)?
Hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized speech fall into this symptom category.
What are Positive Symptoms?
A patient insists they are the chosen leader of a new world order despite evidence to the contrary.
What is a Grandiose Delusion?
This is the first-line medication treatment for schizophrenia.
What are Antipsychotics?
This structured psychiatric tool is commonly used to assess thought processes, mood, cognition, and perception in patients with schizophrenia.
What is the Mental Status Examination (MSE)?
This movement disorder is marked by involuntary movements of the face, tongue, and limbs due to prolonged antipsychotic use.
What is Tardive Dyskinesia (TD)?
Affective flattening, avolition, and anhedonia are examples of this symptom category.
What are Negative Symptoms?
A patient’s speech is meaningless and consists of a jumble of unrelated words.
What is Word Salad?
This type of therapy helps patients recognize and challenge delusional thoughts.
What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Psychosis (CBTp)?
This is the most common type of hallucination in schizophrenia.
What are Auditory Hallucinations?
Weight gain, increased blood sugar, and high blood pressure are common symptoms of this condition.
What is Metabolic Syndrome?
Impairments in memory, attention, and executive functioning are part of this symptom category.
What are Cognitive Symptoms?
The patient echoes words or phrases spoken by another person.
What is Echolalia?
This long-acting option is useful for patients who struggle with daily medication adherence.
What are Long-Acting Injectable Antipsychotics (LAIs)?
Which condition includes symptoms such as muscle rigidity, fever, and altered mental status, and requires immediate treatment?
What is Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS)?
This side effect causes internal restlessness and an inability to sit still.
What is Akathisia?
Depression, suicidality, and anxiety in schizophrenia fall into this symptom category.
What are Mood Symptoms?
Patient believes that their thoughts are being removed from their mind by an external force, such as the government or aliens.
What is Thought Withdrawal?
This first-generation antipsychotic is widely used in clinical practice for acute agitation and psychosis but has a high risk of extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS).
What is Haloperidol (Haldol)?
This severe state of motor dysfunction in schizophrenia can present as complete unresponsiveness, excessive movement, or bizarre posturing.
What is Catatonia?
This severe side effect of clozapine requires regular monitoring of white blood cell counts.
What is Agranulocytosis?
This symptom category is most responsible for social withdrawal and difficulty in daily functioning.
What are Negative Symptoms?
A patient believes their organs have stopped working and they are already dead.
What is a Nihilistic Delusion?
This second-generation antipsychotic is one of the most commonly associated with significant weight gain and metabolic syndrome, requiring careful monitoring of blood glucose and lipid levels.
What is Olanzapine (Zyprexa)?
This phase of schizophrenia occurs before full-blown psychotic symptoms appear and may include social withdrawal.
What is the Prodromal Phase?