Question

The nurse is providing discharge education to a client who is prescribed alprazolam for a panic disorder. What concept should the nurse emphasize concerning the drug action?

A
The medication acts as a stimulant
B
The medication works by suppressing dopamine
C
If you miss a dose, double the next scheduled dose
D
Short-term relief can be expected

Answer 1

The nurse should emphasize that alprazolam provides short-term relief for panic disorders by enhancing the effects of GABA, leading to decreased anxiety, and it's important not to double doses if a dose is missed.

Step-by-step explanation:

The concept the nurse should emphasize concerning the action of alprazolam is that this medication provides short-term relief for panic disorders. Alprazolam, a benzodiazepine, is designed to quell panic attacks by acting on the central nervous system as an agonist of the gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurotransmitter system. This results in sedation, hypnosis, decreased anxiety, muscle relaxation, and anticonvulsant activity. As a CNS depressant, alprazolam enhances the inhibitory effects of GABA, leading to a quieting effect crucial for managing anxiety and panic symptoms.

The other options provided in the question are incorrect: Alprazolam is not a stimulant (A), it does not function by suppressing dopamine but rather by enhancing GABA activity (B), and it is critical never to double the next dose if a dose is missed (C); instead, the missed dose should be skipped and the regular dosing schedule resumed.