Question

The patient with diabetes reports tingling and burning in the lower extremities at night. The patient asks you why the primary health care provider prescribed the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) duloxetine (Cymbalta). What is the best response?

A. The doctor thought the discomfort was causing the patient to be depressed.
B. The drug is known to improve patients' moods and enhance coping.
C. It regulates pain by affecting neurotransmitters that transmit pain through the spine.
D. It deadens the sensitivity to peripheral nerve endings.

Answer 1

The primary health care provider prescribed duloxetine (Cymbalta) to regulate pain by affecting neurotransmitters, enhance the patient's mood, and improve their coping ability.

Step-by-step explanation:

The primary health care provider prescribed the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) duloxetine (Cymbalta) to alleviate the tingling and burning sensation in the lower extremities at night. Duloxetine is known to regulate pain by affecting neurotransmitters that transmit pain through the spine, specifically by blocking the reuptake of serotonin into the presynaptic neuron, which increases serotonin levels in the synaptic cleft. This increase in serotonin helps to enhance the patient's mood and improve their ability to cope with the discomfort.