Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t7fkt Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-26T07:22:31.276Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Chapter 4 - Psychopharmacology in the medically ill

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 August 2010

James J. Amos
Affiliation:
University of Iowa
Robert G. Robinson
Affiliation:
University of Iowa
Get access

Summary

Most psychotropics are highly protein bound and are influenced by fluctuations in protein levels. Specific drug-binding proteins include albumin and globulin, which generally bind to acidic (e.g. valproic acid) and basic (e.g. tricyclic antidepressant) psychotropic drugs, respectively. Although anticonvulsants are used in psychiatry for stabilization of bipolar disorder, alcohol withdrawal, and aggression, medically ill patients may also receive these drugs during treatment for epilepsy, neuropathic pain, and migraines. Lithium has multiple systemic effects and can precipitate or exacerbate underlying medical illness. Antidepressant use within the psychiatric setting has greatly expanded to include treatment of eating disorders, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, chronic aggression and impulsivity, and impulse control disorders. The serotonin antagonist reuptake inhibitor (SARI) trazodone is commonly used for sleep because of sedating properties. Antipsychotics are also used at times as antinauseants and for the treatment of refractory hiccups. Psychostimulants improve depression and fatigue in the medically ill.
Type
Chapter
Information
Psychosomatic Medicine
An Introduction to Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry
, pp. 32 - 50
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2010

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected] is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×