Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals

Category: Fundamentals 
Naloxone’s onset of action, when administered intravenously, is less than 2 minutes and the duration of action is anywhere between 20 minutes and 2 hours, which is shorter than the duration of action of most opioids.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals

Category: Fundamentals 
Naloxone is an opioid antagonist that reverses the effects of opioid intoxication. Naloxone is ineffective orally. It is effective via intravenous, subcutaneous, intramuscular, inhalational and endotracheal routes.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals

Category: Fundamentals 
Some signs and symptoms associated with opioids include bradycardia, hypotension, pruritus, nausea, vomiting and bowel dysfunction. Hypotension and pruritus are caused by non-allergic histamine release.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals

Category: Fundamentals 
Respiratory depression is caused by opioids’ effect on the medullary respiratory center via suppressing its sensitivity to hypercapnia and overriding the hypoxic drive. Prolonged hypopnea can lead to hypoxia causing neurologic complications.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals

Category: Fundamentals 
The hallmarks of the opioid toxidrome are central nervous system (CNS) depression, respiratory depression and miosis. Miosis is caused by the stimulation of µ receptors in the Edinger-Westphal nuclei of the third cranial nerve.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals

Category: Fundamentals 
Some common synthetic opioids are fentanyl, methadone and meperidine. Both opiate and opioid are terms derived from opium, which was the Greek word for the juice of the poppy plant (Papaver somniferum).

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals

Category: Fundamentals 
An opioid is an inclusive term, which refers to synthetic, semisynthetic or natural agent that has morphine-like properties. Common semisynthetic opioids are heroin, hydrocodone, oxycodone, hydromorphone, oxymorphone and buprenorphine.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals

Category: Fundamentals 
Clozapine can produce life-threatening agranulocytosis. Most cases develop within 6 weeks to 6 months of starting the drug. Among other antipsychotics, the risk of agranulocytosis is next greatest with chlorpromazine, followed by olanzapine.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals

Category: Fundamentals 
The most common cardiac effect of antipsychotics is sinus tachycardia. A few first-generation antipsychotics can cause QRS prolongation. QT prolongation should be considered a “class effect” of all antipsychotic medications.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals

Category: Fundamentals 
Neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) is a serious idiosyncratic drug reaction that is potentially life-threatening. NMS typically develops during the first 2 weeks of antipsychotic medication therapy but has occurred during long-term drug regimens.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals

Category: Fundamentals 
Tardive dyskinesia is a chronic and sometimes permanently disabling movement disorder induced by prolonged use of dopamine antagonists, including antipsychotic medications. Typical signs include rapid, involuntary movements of the face.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals

Category: Fundamentals 
Rabbit syndrome is a perioral, tongue-sparing dyskinesia in which rhythmic lip and nose movements resemble the chewing movements of a rabbit. Rabbit syndrome is also associated with prolonged antipsychotic therapy.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals

Category: Fundamentals 
Drug-induced parkinsonism manifests by bradykinesia, mask-like facies, shuffling gait, rigidity and tremors may occur in patients treated with antipsychotics and frequently develops 2 to 4 weeks after initiating treatment.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals

Category: Fundamentals 
Akathisia is characterized by subjective feelings of restlessness associated with motor findings, including repetitive foot shuffling, truncal shifting or pacing. It usually develops within hours to days of initiating or increasing the dose of an antipsychotic.

Nursing Tip of the Day! - Fundamentals

Category: Fundamentals 
Laryngeal dystonia, a life-threatening form of dystonia, manifests as dyspnea, stridor, choking sensation or respiratory distress and has been reported with both first-generation antipsychotics and second-generation antipsychotics.