Which drug is used to reduce EPS side effects?

Study for the Galen Pharmacology Exam 1 Test. Use flashcards and multiple choice questions with hints and explanations. Achieve exam success!

Multiple Choice

Which drug is used to reduce EPS side effects?

Explanation:
Extrapyramidal symptoms from antipsychotics come from dopamine D2 blockade in the nigrostriatal pathway. Restoring balance in the basal ganglia with a central anticholinergic helps relieve these symptoms. Benztropine, a muscarinic antagonist that acts in the CNS, reduces rigidity, tremor, and dystonia produced by typical antipsychotics, making it the drug specifically used to lessen EPS side effects. Haloperidol and zolpidem do not treat EPS—haloperidol tends to cause more EPS, while zolpidem is a sleep aid. Aripiprazole has a lower EPS risk and is not the standard antidote for EPS once it occurs, so benztropine is the classic choice.

Extrapyramidal symptoms from antipsychotics come from dopamine D2 blockade in the nigrostriatal pathway. Restoring balance in the basal ganglia with a central anticholinergic helps relieve these symptoms. Benztropine, a muscarinic antagonist that acts in the CNS, reduces rigidity, tremor, and dystonia produced by typical antipsychotics, making it the drug specifically used to lessen EPS side effects. Haloperidol and zolpidem do not treat EPS—haloperidol tends to cause more EPS, while zolpidem is a sleep aid. Aripiprazole has a lower EPS risk and is not the standard antidote for EPS once it occurs, so benztropine is the classic choice.

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