Which medication class includes drugs like Chlorpromazine?

Chlorpromazine belongs to the class of medications known as antipsychotics. This class of drugs primarily works by affecting neurotransmitters in the brain, particularly dopamine. Antipsychotics are commonly used to manage conditions characterized by severe mental disturbances, such as schizophrenia and acute psychosis. Chlorpromazine was one of the first antipsychotics developed and is often used to help control symptoms like hallucinations and delusions by balancing certain chemicals in the brain.

Antidepressants are designed to alleviate symptoms of depression and mood disorders, and they target different neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and norepinephrine. Anticholinergics are a class of drugs that act on the neurotransmitter acetylcholine and are often used to treat conditions like motion sickness and to manage some side effects of antipsychotics. Anticonvulsants are primarily used to treat seizure disorders and certain types of nerve pain and have a different mechanism of action.

Understanding these classifications is critical in nursing practice, as it informs the choice of medication based on the patient's specific mental health needs and the pharmacological properties of each drug class.