Transcript for:
Lecture on Central Nervous System Stimulants

Hi, I'm Cathy with Level Up RN. In this video,  we will be talking about central nervous system   stimulants, which are used to treat ADHD as well  as conduct disorder and narcolepsy. And at the   end of the video, I'm going to give you guys  a little quiz to test your knowledge of some   of the key points I'll be covering. So definitely  stay tuned for that. And if you have our Level Up   RN flashcards, definitely pay close attention  to the bold red text on the back of this card   because those represent the most testable facts  that you are likely to see show up on a nursing   school exam. Central nervous system stimulants  include medications such as methylphenidate and   amphetamine mixtures. And just like the name of  this drug class implies these medications cause   CNS stimulation. This, in turn, increases mental  alertness and attention in patients with ADHD.   Key side effects of CNS stimulants include  insomnia, arrhythmias, decreased appetite,   and weight loss. So, because this drug class  causes decreased appetite and weight loss,   we are absolutely going to monitor our patient's  weight and growth throughout therapy. And because   this drug class causes insomnia, we would  never administer a CNS stimulant at night.   So these are things that you are very likely to  get tested on in nursing school. For children   taking a central nervous system stimulant,  periodic drug holidays are often recommended.   This means not giving the medication to the  child on weekends and/or during summer months   in order to promote growth during those times. All right. It's quiz time, and I've got three   questions for you. First question. What  is the mode of action of methylphenidate?   The answer is stimulation of  the central nervous system.   Question number two. What time of the day  should amphetamine mixtures be administered?   The answer is earlier in the day, such as in  the morning because these medications can cause   insomnia. Question number three. When a child  is taking a CNS stimulant, their blank should   be monitored throughout therapy. The answer is  their weight. All right. I hope you did great   with that quiz, and I hope you found this video to  be helpful. Take care and good luck with studying.