8.1 Central Nervous System Introduction
Learning Objectives
- Identify the classifications and actions of central nervous system drugs
- Give examples of when, how, and to whom central nervous system drugs may be administered
- Identify the side effects and special considerations associated with central nervous system drug therapy
- Identify considerations and implications of using central nervous system medications across the life span
- Apply evidence-based concepts when using the nursing process
- Identify and interpret related laboratory tests
- Identify nursing responsibilities related to health teaching and health promotion
In this chapter, you will learn about medications used to treat common disorders of the central nervous system. The nervous system is a very complex organ system. Even though progress continues to grow at an amazing rate within the scientific discipline of neuroscience, our understanding of the intricacies of the nervous system remains limited. You may notice this limitation within some “Mechanism of Action” statements later in this chapter where exact understanding of how some medications work within the central nervous system is described as “unknown.”[1]
Prior to examining specific CNS medications, let’s review neurotransmitters in the central nervous system.
- This work is a derivative of Anatomy and Physiology by OpenStax licensed under CC BY 4.0. Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/anatomy-and-physiology/pages/1-introduction ↵
