Question

A nurse is teaching a group of nursing students how the CNS adapts to psychotherapeutic medications. Which statement by a nursing student indicates a need for further teaching?
a.
"Adaptation can lead to tolerance of these drugs with prolonged use."
b.
"Adaptation helps explain how physical dependence occurs."
c.
"Adaptation often must occur before therapeutic effects develop."
d.
"Adaptation results in an increased sensitivity to side effects over time."

Answer 1

Answer:

d.

"Adaptation results in an increased sensitivity to side effects over time."

Explanation:

It should be understood that, with the adaptation of the central nervous system to prolonged exposure to CNS drugs, many adverse effects will diminish and therapeutic effects will remain.

Note that, adaptation helps in explaining how tolerance and physical dependence occur, as the brain adapts to the presence of the drug. Therapeutic effects can take several weeks to manifest, because they appear to work by initiating adaptive changes in the brain.

In summary, therapeutic effect can be described as the favorable response or outcome after a kind of treatment.