J Psychosoc Nurs Men
-
J Psychosoc Nurs Men · Nov 2011
A critical evaluation of the cardiac toxicity of citalopram: part 1.
In August 2011, the U. S. Food and Drug Administration issued a safety announcement that the antidepressant drug citalopram (Celexa(®)) should not be used at dosages greater than 40 mg per day (or greater than 20 mg per day for patients 60 and older) because it can cause abnormal changes in the electrical activity of the heart. ⋯ Nearly 600 cases of citalopram overdoses have been described. Although citalopram overdose is not entirely "cardiac safe," only a proportion of patients develop QTc prolongation without serious cardiac sequelae and no deaths. Three studies comparing citalopram overdoses to other antidepressant overdoses do not demonstrate clinically meaningful differences in cardiotoxic effects.
-
The use of animal-assisted therapy (AAT) as an adjunct treatment approach in psychiatric settings has received much attention in the literature. This article explores the use of AAT with psychiatric patients. The authors performed a literature review and found that AAT can have a significant effect on the improvement of psychiatric patients' socialization and provides a variety of psychological benefits. Nurses can benefit from learning about the potential benefits of AAT for psychiatric patients.
-
J Psychosoc Nurs Men · Jul 2010
Case ReportsAdvanced care decision making: asking the right people the right questions.
Aging often includes chronic disability and/or acute periods of illness. When seriously ill, people may be less able to participate in decision making. ⋯ Understanding how to assess capacity, and when and how to integrate surrogates into clinical decision making, can contribute to improved patient care. An example is used to explore the process of decision making based on medical indications, patient preferences, and the appropriate roles and responsibilities of the health care team and a surrogate decision maker.