Mood Stabilizers
Included In This Lesson
Study Tools For Mood Stabilizers
Outline
Overview
- Enhances serotonin and/or GABA function.
Nursing Points
General
- Most commonly used = Lithium
- Increases serotonin and decreases norepinephrine
- Used for Bipolar Disorder
Nursing Considerations
- Lithium
- Monitor therapeutic level
- 0.6-1.2 mEq/L
- Frequency per protocol
- More often after initiation
- Then monthly
- Best drawn in morning, approximately 12 hours since last dose
- Caution in Pregnancy
- Things that can cause toxicity:
- Dehydration
- ETOH
- Caffeine
- Diuretics
- Promote appropriate fluid balance
- Monitor therapeutic level
Toxicity
- Lithium toxicity
- Can be mild, moderate, or severe
- Kidneys cannot excrete it; builds up
- Usually when serum levels are 1.5 – 2 mEq/L
- Know symptoms
- N/V/D
- Weakness
- Tremor
- Seizures
- Hallucinations
- Interventions
- Assess patient
- Full set of VS
- EKG
- LOC
- Hold dose, notify Provider
- Obtain labs: CBC, lithium level, CMP/BMP
- Initiate suicide precautions
- Assess patient
Pharmacology for Nursing (MedMaster)
The Pharmacology Course is a one-stop-shop for all things medication related! We’ll talk you through how to be successful in pharmacology and how to be safe when administering meds. We break down the most common and most important medication classes into easy-to-understand sections. We even walk you through how to conquer the often intimidating med math and drug calculations! When you finish this course you’ll be able to confidently and safely administer medications to your patients!