TO REPLY 1 COMMENT TO EACH POST WITH CITATION AND TWO REFERENCE EACH COMMENT APA ABOVE 2013. POST 1 Three Questions for the Patient After reviewing the material presented in this case study, there are some concerning questions regarding this patient’s psychiatric history. Additional questions would include: After each discontinuation of medication after an episode of depression, was this decision the choice of a physician or self -initiated? This question would provide knowledge of the patient’s medication compliance. For example, does the patient stop taking prescribed medication on symptoms are alleviated? What were the circumstances prior to each depressive episode? his question would enlighten the practitioner on triggers and factors that personally affect the patient before a depressive episode occurs. There appears to be history of alcohol abuse and depression in your family, has anyone in your family received treatment? This question would provide a view into the patient’s understanding of psychiatric treatment. Since the patient does not believe in psychotherapy due to religious reason, the patient may not know what treatments were, are or will be available to him. Feedback from People in Patient’s Life The patient has been married for 33 years. Assuming his spouse is around before, during and after an episode, she may provide information the patient failed to share or may not have been honest about. The first person to be questioned would be the patient’s wife. Some of the questions for the patient’s wife would include onset of symptoms. What occurs before each episode of depression? Is there conflict between you and your spouse? Are there any stressors, such as financial plaguing your spouse and you? The patient also has three children. All three of his children suffer from some form of depression. Questioning the patient’s children may provide a historical history of the patient. For example, the children may have noticed symptoms leading to the patient’s depression years ago. Questions for the children may include did your parent’s argue often while you were growing up? Did your father ever lose interest in your childhood years? Did you feel love or rejection while growing up from your father? What were your father’s behaviors? Did you ever notice any alcohol or drug abuse while growing up? Physical and Diagnostic Exams for Patient Unfortunately, there is not a certain test for depression. The primary goal of physical exam and diagnostic testing would to rule out other conditions causing similar symptoms. A physical exam should be preformed assessing respiratory and cardiovascular system. Vital signs should be taken as well. Certain labs should be assessed in the patient. The practitioner should check the patient’s thyroid levels. Thyroid hormones have been linked to depression (Stahl, 2008). Depression can be caused by an underactive or overactive thyroid. Another lab test to consider would be dexamethasone suppression test. This test assesses the negative affect of dexamethasone. Once given dexamethasone, in a small dose, cortisol levels are decreased in healthy adults, but may remain elevated in depressed patients (Smith, et al., 2013). Depressive disorders have been linked to certain inflammatory biomarkers. This blood test assesses nine biomarkers, alpha-1 antitrypsin, apolipoprotein CIII, BDNF, cortisol, epidermal growth factor, myeloperoxidase, prolactin, resin, and soluble tumor necrosis factor α type II. These biomarkers represent the inflammatory and metabolic pathways associated with depression (Serra et al., 2015). Three Differential Diagnosis Based on the symptoms listed by the patient, there a multiple diagnosis this patient could be suffering from. Recurrent Major Depressive Disorder with melancholic features. This diagnosis is due to the patient’s major depressive symptoms, such as depressed mood most of the day, increased anxiety, and suicidal thoughts (Zaninotto et al., 2016). The spe…

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