ASSESSING AND TREATING PATIENTS WITH SLEEP/WAKE DISORDERS
Examine Case Study: Pharmacologic Approaches to the Treatment of Insomnia in a Younger Adult. You will be asked to make three decisions concerning the medication to prescribe to this patient. Be sure to consider factors that might impact the patient’s pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes.
At each decision point, you should evaluate all options before selecting your decision and moving throughout the exercise. Before you make your decision, make sure that you have researched each option and that you evaluate the decision that you will select. Be sure to research each option using the primary literature.
Introduction to the case (1 page)
Briefly explain and summarize the case for this Assignment. Be sure to include the specific patient factors that may impact your decision making when prescribing medication for this patient.
Decision #1 (1 page)
Which decision did you select?
Why did you select this decision? Be specific and support your response with clinically relevant and patient-specific resources, including the primary literature.
Why did you not select the other two options provided in the exercise? Be specific and support your response with clinically relevant and patient-specific resources, including the primary literature.
What were you hoping to achieve by making this decision? Support your response with evidence and references to the Learning Resources (including the primary literature).
Explain how ethical considerations may impact your treatment plan and communication with patients. Be specific and provide examples.
Decision #2 (1 page)
Why did you select this decision? Be specific and support your response with clinically relevant and patient-specific resources, including the primary literature.
Why did you not select the other two options provided in the exercise? Be specific and support your response with clinically relevant and patient-specific resources, including the primary literature.
What were you hoping to achieve by making this decision? Support your response with evidence and references to the Learning Resources (including the primary literature).
Explain how ethical considerations may impact your treatment plan and communication with patients. Be specific and provide examples.
Decision #3 (1 page)
Why did you select this decision? Be specific and support your response with clinically relevant and patient-specific resources, including the primary literature.
Why did you not select the other two options provided in the exercise? Be specific and support your response with clinically relevant and patient-specific resources, including the primary literature.
What were you hoping to achieve by making this decision? Support your response with evidence and references to the Learning Resources (including the primary literature).
Explain how ethical considerations may impact your treatment plan and communication with patients. Be specific and provide examples.
Conclusion (1 page)
Summarize your recommendations on the treatment options you selected for this patient. Be sure to justify your recommendations and support your response with clinically relevant and patient-specific resources, including the primary literature.
Introduction to the case
The patient in this case study is a 25-year-old female who presents with insomnia. She has been having difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep for the past 6 months. She reports that she is averaging 5-6 hours of sleep per night, and that she often wakes up feeling tired and groggy. She has tried over-the-counter sleep aids, but they have not been effective.
The patient has no significant medical history and does not take any medications. She is a healthy, active individual who works full-time. She does not smoke or drink alcohol.
Decision #1
The first decision point in this case study is whether to prescribe a medication for the patient's insomnia. There are several factors to consider when making this decision, including the patient's age, medical history, and lifestyle.
The patient in this case is a young, healthy adult. She does not have any significant medical conditions that would make her a poor candidate for medication. However, she is a busy professional who works long hours. This suggests that she may be more likely to experience side effects from medication, such as drowsiness and impaired judgment.
After considering all of the factors, I have decided to prescribe a medication for the patient's insomnia. I will start her on a low dose of zolpidem, a non-benzodiazepine hypnotic. Zolpidem is a short-acting medication that is well-tolerated by most people. It is also less likely to cause dependence than benzodiazepines.
Why did I not select the other two options provided in the exercise?
The other two options provided in the exercise were to:
- Prescribe a benzodiazepine, such as temazepam or lorazepam.
- Recommend cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I).
- Continue with medication only.
- Discontinue medication and refer the patient to a sleep specialist.