NURS 6501: Final Exam: Please contact Assignment Samurai for help with NURS 6501: Final Exam or any other assignment. Email: assignmentsamurai@gmail.com   An adult patient presents with palpitations, trembling, and a sense of impending doom that started shortly after beginning a new medication for chronic pain. The patient has no prior history of anxiety disorders. Which condition is the most likely cause of the patient’s current symptoms?

• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Generalized anxiety disorder
• Panic disorder
• Medication-induced anxiety disorder

  The correct answer is: Medication-induced anxiety disorder   Explanation: The patient’s symptoms—palpitations, trembling, and sense of impending doom—are classic for acute anxiety-like symptoms, and the temporal association with a new medication strongly suggests:

• Medication-induced anxiety disorder (substance/medication-induced anxiety in DSM-5).

Common Medications Causing Anxiety Symptoms:

• Stimulants (e.g., methylphenidate, pseudoephedrine).
• Bronchodilators (e.g., albuterol).
• Corticosteroids (e.g., prednisone).
• Opioids (e.g., tramadol—also has SNRI effects).
• SSRIs/SNRIs (initial activation syndrome).

Why Not the Others?

• Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD): Requires chronic, excessive worry (not acute onset).
• Panic disorder: Recurrent unexpected panic attacks, not linked to medication.
• PTSD: Requires a traumatic stressor, not medication use.

Key Clue: The absence of prior anxiety + recent medication initiation points to a drug-induced etiology. Thus, medication-induced anxiety disorder is the most likely diagnosis.