In: Nursing
Your friend is worried about an impending surgical procedure and tells you he's thinking about taking a few extra pills of his prescription Valium before the surgery. What, if anything, do you say about it?
Any drug taken in more quantities than what is prescribed may cause serious side effects. Valium has the following effects: anxiolytic, sedative, amnesic and muscle relaxant properties. In preoperative patients it is used to releive anxiety. But when taken in large amounts it may cause drug toxicity that may lead to paradoxical effects like drowsiness, dysarthria, sedation, muscle weakness, dysarthria, hypotension, bradycardia, nystagmus and profound sleep. Extreme levels of Valium overdose may lead to areflexia, coma, apnea and cardiorespiratory depression. Rhabdomyolysis (muscle injury) and hypothermia can occur in severe cases of toxicity. If taken along with other CNS depressants like alcohol the outcome may be fatal. So it is advised not to take extra quantities of the drug than what is prescribed. In order to releive his anxiety the friend (you/ student nurse) can provide him with psychological support as well as can educate him about the surgical procedure to reduce his level of anxiety.