A 33-year-old woman comes to the physician because of a 3-day history of dry cough and low-grade fever. Four months ago, she was diagnosed with major depressive disorder and staed treatment with fluoxetine. Physical examination shows no abnormalities. A diagnosis of upper respiratory infection is made and medication is prescribed to relieve her symptoms. A drug with which of the following mechanisms of action should be avoided in this patient?
Correct Answer: Inhibition of NMDA glutamate receptors
Description: Dextromethorphan, an antitussive with serotonergic effects, increases the risk of life-threatening serotonin syndrome in patients taking fluoxetine.Dextromethorphan is an NMDA glutamate receptor antagonist that desensitizes the medullary cough center to signaling from cough receptors in the respiratory tract. It is also a serotonin receptor agonist and has nonspecific serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor effects. For this reason, it increases the risk of serotonin syndrome when combined with other serotonergic drugs (e.g., fluoxetine) and should be avoided in this patient.
Category:
Psychiatry
Get More
Subject Mock Tests
Practice with over 200,000 questions from various medical subjects and improve your knowledge.
Attempt a mock test nowMock Exam
Take an exam with 100 random questions selected from all subjects to test your knowledge.
Coming SoonGet More
Subject Mock Tests
Try practicing mock tests with over 200,000 questions from various medical subjects.
Attempt a mock test now