Therapy essentially refers to medical attendance or therapy undertaken following a diagnosis to restore any medication problem to normalcy. Pharmacotherapy, often known as medical therapy, refers to the type of therapy/treatment that follows a diagnosis and involves the use of pharmaceutical medications. According to the legislation of the health care sector and the government, medical prescriptions should only be issued by certified medical specialists. The FDA statute schedules narcotic pharmaceuticals based on the amount of undefined potential drug and substance abuse; control, decontrol, and rescheduling should be done exclusively by drug administrators; this is especially focused at managing substances that may be detrimental to public health. Research reveals that most of the mental illness and behavioral conditions are genetic in nature and biologically originates to the offspring; as such drugs are subjectively diagnosed as the best way of treatment depending on the type of complications. The drug treatment can either be taken orally or through injections into the body, they in return react with the body receptors to bring about appropriate medical change. In the modern health care medications, most drugs are preferable by most physicians due to their instant effect to bring about changes; they immediately induce an instant relief of pain thus quick treatment. However, the effects might have short-term unless constantly taken by the patient to bring long-term gratification since no drug is absolutely safe during treatment.
In regard to other forms of therapies such as surgery and cognitive behavioral therapy, drug therapies act as the foundation; drug has to be induced in order to carry out the actual processes, the induction of drugs helps in pain reduction/relief after/before surgery and in cases of accidents that require emergency attendance. At times, drugs tend to be massively effective to individuals with serious disorders and illness. A study conducted by Thomsen, Bretlau, Tos, and Johnsen (1981) where placebo drug effect was considered and how it affects patients under surgery. It was evident that both the placebo individuals and the ordinary group undergoing surgery dramatically improved implying that the placebo effects actually do affect recovery. Therefore, from a personal perspective, provision of inert drugs with no therapeutic action is more effective compared to actual drug usage since it reduces biological effects.
Drug therapy is often paired with certain forms of behavioral or cognitive therapy as the psychological aspects of a disorder that needs to be cared for when suffering from depression as well as the biological traits. According to, (Robert et al., 1984), a report by National Institute of Mental Health collaborative study group involving the unipolar and bipolar patients indicates that unipolar patients, combined treatment with imipramine proved to be more effective compared to placebo and lithium carbonate in preventing depressive recurrences within the patients..
In addition, drug therapy, is an easy way of treatment since the patient simply need to strictly follow the drug prescription, doctor/physician attention or follow up might be irrelevant or reduced compared to other therapies like surgical therapy or cognitive behavioral therapy where the doctor has to constantly monitor the patient’s surgical improvements and behavioral changes and movements respectively. Furthermore, the simplicity associated with drugs/substance can’t be objected since the patient can independently become responsible for medication prescriptions considering any possible risk emergence.
Research further suggests that traditional therapies can significantly improve drug therapy when combined; this implies that drug therapies can be from natural sources without necessarily involving the scientific chemical drugs, though this is on assumption that all medical problems can get natural drug therapy. Patients can get involved in therapeutic processes such as music therapy only if they are on drug medication. Currently, it is common for patients to get involved in a range of activities or therapies such as music therapies or even group therapies. In other words, drug therapy is the pillar of other related therapies; systematic medication has to be incorporated into drug or substance use.
Drawbacks of drug therapy
Together with the due benefits of from drug medication, drug therapy in contrary might evoke a headache, nausea, irritations, and agitations. Clomipramine for instance, anti-depressant which is effective in obsessive-compulsive treatment, can cause retention (urinary), the rise in heartbeat, constipation and blurred vision, (Robert et al., 1984). This, in addition, insinuates that other means of therapy might be effective compared to drug therapy, Kuyken et al., (2008) conducted research to compare drug treatment and a form of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). The research found that CBT gave the group skills for life, unlike drugs. Hence suggesting the use of drugs might be unnecessary and in addition side effects wouldn’t occur.
Despite drug therapy instantly brings about positive changes, in cases where it fails and takes like more than two weeks, it consequently leads to addiction implying that the patient might also experience effects such as symptoms of withdrawal more so when the dose is minimized or completely moved into a different alternative drug, this perhaps can cause further complications in depression as well as hindering rather than enhancing recovery. Psychiatry disorders such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) for instance, where the drug stimulant used to control it can affect growth, mostly weight gain, rise in blood pressure together with increase in anxiety and heart rate when taken excessively or misused.
Furthermore, taking of drugs in long-term might also cause building up of tolerance to the drug treatment patients are on thus developing immunity to the drugs further implying that their escape to depression is in a halt, giving out of extra drug dose might also increase associated side effects thus making the treatment more a dangerous medical solution compared to other therapies. Treatment through drug therapy can only be very reliable and effective when the patient after that indicates high compliance level to the recommendations in the course of treatment.
Although drugs might be used during first stages of medication irrespective of the type of therapy, it might not effectively and directly reveal the root cause of the health problem experienced by the patient. A drug therapy investigated by (March et all 2007) concerning the treatment for adolescents with depression study reveals that; there is much higher tendency for an individual to commit suicide when in depression adolescents, this is treated with psychotropic drugs alone than in patients treated with therapy or a combination of both and that combined treatment appears to be superior.
It is only through drug therapies or substance usage in collaboration with the CSA that a substance can be temporarily listed in the schedule (I) to necessarily avoid or reduce impending hazards to the public health safety. The drugs might be structurally or pharmacologically related to other narcotic drugs listed in the schedule (I) and (II) despite legitimately lacking any medical importance; controlled substances are thus only intended and prescribed for human consumption.
Lastly, a victim under drug therapy is more likely to be mentally affected in case of severe medical negligence compared to other methods of therapies; this can be regarding wrong prescription, wrong dug medication or expiry of the issued drugs. The chemical composition of the drugs is thus easier to be deposited into the bloodstream of the patient as well as to the brain thus causing further mental complications. The CSA of 1970 also categorically tries to effect drug regulations based on potential drug abuse in relation to the benefits it provides from a medical perspective.
Implications of drug therapy to the nursing practice
During drug therapy in nursing practices implications such as maximizing patient’s therapeutic processes and effects. After issuing of drug therapy, an intervention should be conducted to find out whether the prescribed drugs are consistent in relation to the patient's physical ability, dietary preference and paramount the self-care practices which will determine whether the patient needs an intensive care unit or not. After that, comparisons should be drawn to determine whether it is possible to incorporate the aspects into nursing practices though they should not contradict health care acts.
The main goal of therapy is to satisfy the health problem and considering no drug is absolutely safe; nursing practices should wholly ensure total minimization of possible adverse effects to the patients. Both the nurse as well as the patient should be aware of possible drug toxicity, certain herbal drug preparations and food consumed during medication might cause drug toxicity and food-drug interactions respectively, (Aschenbrenner& Venable 2012).
Critical assessment of the patient in terms of their core variables, this involves observation of the patient's health status and historical health records, this might enable the nurse to determine and even predict the possible future needs for the patient in relation to prevention of further complications. Assessment should be done on the basis of the physical interaction between the nurse and the patient, physical examination of the patient and the patients past health records. Examination of these determines the base of the patient’s care and treatment.
Other implications include external environment examination under which the drug therapy will be conducted. For example, sunlight might affect certain drug administration, and lastly, drug conditions and precautions should also be adhered to in the nursing practice. Similarly, the CSA suggests that there should be clear medical and scientific knowledge about possible drug’s pharmacological properties and effects should be considered for instance certain drugs might contain hallucinogenic properties thus should be properly controlled.
Adequate medication should be properly assessed and effectively implemented in relation to the type of therapy appropriate to the patient and the type/level of the problem diagnosed. Both the patient and the nurse have their respective role to play during medication, the present gap between the nursing practices and medications and the ultimate goal of patient safety should be greatly reduced to a negligible margin. Persons handling or intending to handle substances should acquire registration authority in accordance with the CSA and proper record keeping on drugs used.
References
Aschenbrenner, D. S., & Venable, S. J. (2012). Study guide for Drug therapy in nursing. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Kuyken et al (2008).Cognitive Behaviour Therapies.
March et all (Oct 2007).PMC, E: The Treatment for Adolescents With Depression Study (TADS): long-term effectiveness and safety. - Abstract - Europe PMC.
Robert et al (Nov 1984).Drug Therapy in the Prevention of Recurrences in Unipolar and Bipolar
Affective Disorders.
Robert et al 1984. NIMH » Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Retrieved from
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd/index.shtml
Thomsen, Bretlau, Tos and Johnsen (may 1981). Placebo Effect in Surgery for Ménière'sDisease
