A mood stabilising agent:-

AIIMS Manglagiri NO - 2019

Pharmacology

Easy

Appeared in: AIIMS Manglagiri NO - 2019

Explanation

Lithium is the prototypical mood-stabilizing drug, used for decades as the first-line treatment for acute mania and for maintenance therapy in bipolar disorder.
Its primary function is to control mood swings, preventing both manic and depressive episodes.
Unlike antidepressants, which can sometimes trigger mania in susceptible individuals, lithium stabilizes the mood from both poles of the illness.
It has a narrow therapeutic index (0.6-1.2 mEq/L), meaning the dose required for therapeutic effect is close to the toxic dose, necessitating careful blood level monitoring.

Option A: Bupropion is an atypical antidepressant that works on norepinephrine and dopamine. It is not classified as a mood stabilizer.
Option B: Amitriptyline is a Tricyclic Antidepressant (TCA). When used as monotherapy in a patient with bipolar disorder, it carries a significant risk of inducing a switch from depression to mania.
Option C: Sertraline is a Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI). Like other antidepressants, it is not a mood stabilizer and can induce mania if given alone to a patient with bipolar disorder.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Pharmacological classification of psychotropic medications, specifically mood stabilizers as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Correctly identifying drug classes is critical for patient safety. Administering an antidepressant like Sertraline or Amitriptyline to a patient with undiagnosed bipolar disorder can trigger a dangerous manic episode.
Nurses play a vital role in monitoring patients on lithium for therapeutic effectiveness and for early signs of toxicity (e.g., tremor, nausea, confusion), which requires immediate intervention.
Patient education is key. Nurses must teach patients on lithium about the importance of consistent sodium and fluid intake, regular blood tests, and recognizing toxicity symptoms.

How to Approach the Question

This is a factual recall question from pharmacology.
First, identify the core requirement of the question: to find the 'mood stabilising agent' among the options.
Next, systematically review each drug option and recall its primary pharmacological class.
Recognize that Bupropion, Amitriptyline, and Sertraline are all primarily classified as antidepressants, used to treat depression and anxiety.
Identify Lithium as the classic drug specifically used to stabilize mood in conditions like bipolar disorder.
Based on this classification, select Lithium as the correct answer.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Pharmacological classification of psychotropic medications, specifically mood stabilizers.
Stem keywords: mood stabilising agent
Lead-in keywords: BEST, MOST RELEVANT CLUE
Negative lead-in flag: false

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