Question 4

Therapeutic duplication may be a concern for a patient prescribed both trazodone and nortriptyline.

Therapeutic duplication is a significant concern when a patient is prescribed both trazodone and nortriptyline, as both medications are antidepressants that can increase the risk of serotonin syndrome and other adverse effects when used concurrently.

A) nabumetone.

Nabumetone is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) used for pain relief and does not have overlapping therapeutic effects with trazodone. Therefore, there is no concern for therapeutic duplication when these two medications are prescribed together.

B) nystatin.

Nystatin is an antifungal medication primarily used to treat fungal infections. It does not share any pharmacological properties with trazodone, which means that there is no risk of therapeutic duplication between these two drugs.

C) nortriptyline.

Nortriptyline is a tricyclic antidepressant that acts similarly to trazodone, both being used to treat depression and anxiety disorders. The concurrent use of these medications raises the risk of enhanced side effects, including sedation and serotonin syndrome, thus representing a clear case of therapeutic duplication.

D) nicardipine.

Nicardipine is a calcium channel blocker used primarily for hypertension and angina. It does not have similar therapeutic effects to trazodone, so there is no issue of therapeutic duplication when combined with trazodone.

Conclusion

The identification of nortriptyline as the correct answer highlights the importance of monitoring for therapeutic duplication when prescribing medications with similar pharmacological effects. In contrast, nabumetone, nystatin, and nicardipine do not pose this risk, as they function in entirely different therapeutic categories, making them safe to prescribe alongside trazodone.