1
PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY:
A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW
Jassin M. Jouria, MD
Dr. Jassin M. Jouria is a medical doctor, professor of academic medicine, and medical
author. He graduated from Ross University School of Medicine and has completed his clinical
clerkship training in various teaching hospitals throughout New York, including King’s
County Hospital Center and Brookdale Medical Center, among others. Dr. Jouria has passed
all USMLE medical board exams, and has served as a test prep tutor and instructor for
Kaplan. He has developed several medical courses and curricula for a variety of educational
institutions. Dr. Jouria has also served on multiple levels in the academic field including
faculty member and Department Chair; and he serves as a Subject Matter Expert for several
continuing education organizations covering multiple basic medical sciences. He has also
developed several continuing medical education courses covering various topics in clinical
medicine. Recently, Dr. Jouria has been contracted by the University of Miami/Jackson
Memorial Hospital’s Department of Surgery to develop an e-module training series for
trauma patient management, and is currently authoring an academic textbook on Human
Anatomy & Physiology.
ABSTRACT
While pharmacotherapy has emerged as the most commonly used psychiatric management,
psychiatric education uncovers a salient neglect of clinical psychopharmacology. The
educational objective should be the advancement of information in psychopharmacology
that is not restricted to useful drugs, or medications that simply work, but rather a goal that
represents the unified facets of scientific, clinical and experimental psychiatry. This course
offers a comprehensive review of the fundamentals of psychopharmacology as well as
valuable concepts that attempt to integrate psychopharmacological topics with clinical
psychopathology and psychiatric theory in general. Additionally, it presents practical
information on the targeted therapy, benefits, side effects, drug-drug interactions and
suggested doses of psychotropic drugs. The four major classes are discussed-
antipsychotics, antidepressants, mood stabilizers and antianxiety/sleeping medications,
nursece4less.com nursece4less.com nursece4less.com nursece4less.com
, 2
including updated information on the array of new medications and how they differ from
traditional drugs. Further information is provided on the use of benzodiazepines, stimulants
and sedatives in the management of other mental health disorders. A section on guidelines
for communication is also included to help assist the healthcare professional in order to
maximize compliance and to support the patient-therapist-psychiatrist relationship.
COURSE LENGTH
20 credit hours or approximately 53,528 words.
OBJECTIVES
At the completion of this course, participants will be able to:
1. Describe the basic principles of psychopharmacology.
2. Describe basic brain and nerve anatomy.
3. Identify the various neurotransmitters present in the central nervous system,
and describe their action.
4. Discuss the epidemiology of mental health disorders in the United States.
5. Identify the most recent psychotropic drugs and how they differ from the older
medications.
6. Discuss medications in classes based on their mechanism(s) of action.
7. Discuss the mechanism of action and targeted therapy of antipsychotics.
8. Differentiate between the subset of antidepressants, based on their mechanism
of action.
9. Identify the mechanism of action and use of benzodiazepines in mental health
problems.
10. Compare and contrast the use of the major groups of anti-anxiety and mood-
stabilizing drugs in different types of mental and personality disorders.
11. Distinguish between the classes of antipsychotics, antidepressants,
benzodiazepines, anti-anxiety, and mood-stabilizing medications.
nursece4less.com nursece4less.com nursece4less.com nursece4less.com
, 3
12. Compare and contrast between the use and management of stimulants vs.
sedatives in mental health disorders.
13. Discuss the processes of absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination of
medical substances in the body.
14. Describe the desired effect of antipsychotic medications.
15. Discuss the goals of treating depression with antidepressant medications.
16. Describe the ways to work collaboratively with people diagnosed with borderline
personality disorder, using medication as a tool.
17. Describe the desired effects from Mood Stabilizers
18. Explain the major uses of psychostimulant medications.
19. Discuss interactions and adverse reactions of different classes of psychotropic drugs.
20. Classify and describe the possible side effects of psychotropic medications and their
management in treatment.
21. Discuss special considerations of psychotropic drugs for special populations (i.e.
elderly or pediatric patients).
22. Identify safety and ethical issues of prescribing psychotropic drugs.
23. Explain medication treatment algorithms for depressive disorders, anxiety
disorders, ADHD, and bipolar spectrum disorders.
24. Explain the effect of the major classes of controlled and illicit substances on brain
and nerve physiology.
25. Identify how to effectively communicate with patients and other healthcare
professionals about medication types, dosage, drug interactions, and side
effects.
26. Discuss how to develop and support the client-therapist-psychiatrist relationship.
27. Discuss ethical and legal considerations in providing information about medications
to clients.
28. Explain how new information can be applied to existing patient care problems
through consultation process with peers.
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OUTLINE
I. Introduction
A. Definitions
B. History of Mental Health
C. Epidemiology
II. Principles
A. Basics of Central Nervous System Anatomy
1. Brain
2. Nervous System
3. Neurotransmitters
B. Basics of Psychopharmacology
1. Overview of mechanism of actions
2. Overview of goals in management
3. Overview of newer vs. older psychotropic medications
III. Classification of Psychotropic Medications
A. Antipsychotics
B. Antidepressants
C. Anxiolytics and sedatives
D. Mood stabilizers
E. Stimulants
F. Sedatives / Hypnotics
G. Miscellaneous drugs: complementary, herbal and over the counter
IV. Adverse Effects of Psychotropic Medications
A. Drug-drug interactions
B. Side effects
C. Orthostatic Hypotension
D. Sexual dysfunction and hyperprolactinemia
E. Liver/Kidney dysfunction
nursece4less.com nursece4less.com nursece4less.com nursece4less.com
PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY:
A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW
Jassin M. Jouria, MD
Dr. Jassin M. Jouria is a medical doctor, professor of academic medicine, and medical
author. He graduated from Ross University School of Medicine and has completed his clinical
clerkship training in various teaching hospitals throughout New York, including King’s
County Hospital Center and Brookdale Medical Center, among others. Dr. Jouria has passed
all USMLE medical board exams, and has served as a test prep tutor and instructor for
Kaplan. He has developed several medical courses and curricula for a variety of educational
institutions. Dr. Jouria has also served on multiple levels in the academic field including
faculty member and Department Chair; and he serves as a Subject Matter Expert for several
continuing education organizations covering multiple basic medical sciences. He has also
developed several continuing medical education courses covering various topics in clinical
medicine. Recently, Dr. Jouria has been contracted by the University of Miami/Jackson
Memorial Hospital’s Department of Surgery to develop an e-module training series for
trauma patient management, and is currently authoring an academic textbook on Human
Anatomy & Physiology.
ABSTRACT
While pharmacotherapy has emerged as the most commonly used psychiatric management,
psychiatric education uncovers a salient neglect of clinical psychopharmacology. The
educational objective should be the advancement of information in psychopharmacology
that is not restricted to useful drugs, or medications that simply work, but rather a goal that
represents the unified facets of scientific, clinical and experimental psychiatry. This course
offers a comprehensive review of the fundamentals of psychopharmacology as well as
valuable concepts that attempt to integrate psychopharmacological topics with clinical
psychopathology and psychiatric theory in general. Additionally, it presents practical
information on the targeted therapy, benefits, side effects, drug-drug interactions and
suggested doses of psychotropic drugs. The four major classes are discussed-
antipsychotics, antidepressants, mood stabilizers and antianxiety/sleeping medications,
nursece4less.com nursece4less.com nursece4less.com nursece4less.com
, 2
including updated information on the array of new medications and how they differ from
traditional drugs. Further information is provided on the use of benzodiazepines, stimulants
and sedatives in the management of other mental health disorders. A section on guidelines
for communication is also included to help assist the healthcare professional in order to
maximize compliance and to support the patient-therapist-psychiatrist relationship.
COURSE LENGTH
20 credit hours or approximately 53,528 words.
OBJECTIVES
At the completion of this course, participants will be able to:
1. Describe the basic principles of psychopharmacology.
2. Describe basic brain and nerve anatomy.
3. Identify the various neurotransmitters present in the central nervous system,
and describe their action.
4. Discuss the epidemiology of mental health disorders in the United States.
5. Identify the most recent psychotropic drugs and how they differ from the older
medications.
6. Discuss medications in classes based on their mechanism(s) of action.
7. Discuss the mechanism of action and targeted therapy of antipsychotics.
8. Differentiate between the subset of antidepressants, based on their mechanism
of action.
9. Identify the mechanism of action and use of benzodiazepines in mental health
problems.
10. Compare and contrast the use of the major groups of anti-anxiety and mood-
stabilizing drugs in different types of mental and personality disorders.
11. Distinguish between the classes of antipsychotics, antidepressants,
benzodiazepines, anti-anxiety, and mood-stabilizing medications.
nursece4less.com nursece4less.com nursece4less.com nursece4less.com
, 3
12. Compare and contrast between the use and management of stimulants vs.
sedatives in mental health disorders.
13. Discuss the processes of absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination of
medical substances in the body.
14. Describe the desired effect of antipsychotic medications.
15. Discuss the goals of treating depression with antidepressant medications.
16. Describe the ways to work collaboratively with people diagnosed with borderline
personality disorder, using medication as a tool.
17. Describe the desired effects from Mood Stabilizers
18. Explain the major uses of psychostimulant medications.
19. Discuss interactions and adverse reactions of different classes of psychotropic drugs.
20. Classify and describe the possible side effects of psychotropic medications and their
management in treatment.
21. Discuss special considerations of psychotropic drugs for special populations (i.e.
elderly or pediatric patients).
22. Identify safety and ethical issues of prescribing psychotropic drugs.
23. Explain medication treatment algorithms for depressive disorders, anxiety
disorders, ADHD, and bipolar spectrum disorders.
24. Explain the effect of the major classes of controlled and illicit substances on brain
and nerve physiology.
25. Identify how to effectively communicate with patients and other healthcare
professionals about medication types, dosage, drug interactions, and side
effects.
26. Discuss how to develop and support the client-therapist-psychiatrist relationship.
27. Discuss ethical and legal considerations in providing information about medications
to clients.
28. Explain how new information can be applied to existing patient care problems
through consultation process with peers.
nursece4less.com nursece4less.com nursece4less.com nursece4less.com
, 4
OUTLINE
I. Introduction
A. Definitions
B. History of Mental Health
C. Epidemiology
II. Principles
A. Basics of Central Nervous System Anatomy
1. Brain
2. Nervous System
3. Neurotransmitters
B. Basics of Psychopharmacology
1. Overview of mechanism of actions
2. Overview of goals in management
3. Overview of newer vs. older psychotropic medications
III. Classification of Psychotropic Medications
A. Antipsychotics
B. Antidepressants
C. Anxiolytics and sedatives
D. Mood stabilizers
E. Stimulants
F. Sedatives / Hypnotics
G. Miscellaneous drugs: complementary, herbal and over the counter
IV. Adverse Effects of Psychotropic Medications
A. Drug-drug interactions
B. Side effects
C. Orthostatic Hypotension
D. Sexual dysfunction and hyperprolactinemia
E. Liver/Kidney dysfunction
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