Age Specific Care Related

Review Age Specific Care related questions and content

The physician and advanced practice nurse are considering which antipsychotic medication to prescribe for a patient with schizophrenia who demonstrates auditory hallucinations, apathy, anhedonia, and poor social functioning. The patient is overweight and has hypertension. Bearing these facts in mind, the drug the nurse should advocate would be:

  • A. clozapine (Clozaril).
  • B. haloperidol (Haldol).
  • C. olanzapine (Zyprexa).
  • D. aripiprazole (Abilify).
Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D: aripiprazole (Abilify). Aripiprazole is a second-generation antipsychotic that is less likely to cause weight gain and metabolic side effects compared to other antipsychotics. This is important since the patient is already overweight and has hypertension. Aripiprazole also has a lower risk of causing sedation, which can be beneficial for addressing apathy and anhedonia without worsening social functioning.

A: Clozapine is effective for treatment-resistant schizophrenia but is associated with significant weight gain and metabolic side effects.
B: Haloperidol is a first-generation antipsychotic with a high risk of extrapyramidal side effects and is not ideal for a patient with hypertension.
C: Olanzapine is known for causing significant weight gain and metabolic effects, making it a less suitable choice for an overweight patient with hypertension.