Question

Ethical dilemmas in medication administration

Choose a medication type from the following list, note why the medication is used, and consider adverse effects. Invent a scenario where giving this medication could result in an ethical or legally charged situation. Try not to choose a category that has been well addressed by your peers.

1. Amitriptyline /tricyclics: Consider vulnerability issues with the risk of suicidal overdose given anticholinergic effects

Answer 1

Amitriptyline is a tricyclic antidepressant. It's is primarily used to treat a number of mental illness releave anxiety and tension. Other uses include prevention of migraine, treatment of neuropathic pain and less commonly for insomnia.

Adverse effects:

Hives, difficulty breathing, swelling of face,lips,tongue and throat, agitation, black tarry stools, stomach pain, blurred vision, change in consciousness, change in pattern and rhythm of speech, confusion, convulsion, stroke and coma.

These medications are a kind of high risk medicines. If given without a proper prescription by a pharmacy staff and the medicine is used for a suicidal intentions it leads to legal and ethical issues.

Amitriptyline cannot be given with a combination of drugs as it interacts with many other group of medicines. And it is nearly fatal if given with anticholinergics as it causes uneven heartbeat, extreme drowsiness, confusion, agitation, vomiting, hallucination, muscle stiffness, seizure and fainting. An overdose of Amitriptyline can be fatal.