Stella,a 60-year-old woman who has trouble sleeping,is prescribed secobarbital once a day for two weeks.The medication achieves its desired effect and Stella sleeps well during the first three days of medication.On the fourth day,Stella consumes her daily dosage twice because she does not remember consuming it the first time.On the fifth day,Stella consumes more than thrice the daily recommended dosage for the same reason.This phenomenon of consuming more than the required dosage of a medication is termed _____.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Elderly patients are particularly sensitive to CNS side effects, especially mental confusion and memory difficulties. When memory is impaired due to CNS depression, patients may not remember if the drug was taken. As a result, they may retake the drug repeatedly and experience an overdose. This phenomenon is known as automatism.

Stella,a 60-Year-Old Woman Who Has Trouble Sleeping,is Prescribed Secobarbital Once