Paper Summary:

The paper addresses the scenario where delusional thinking has confounded regular treatment of high blood pressure and has placed the subject in direct danger of ailment or fatality due to myocardial infarction. The paper explains that from a nursing perspective, the primary goal in the scenario is to return the patient to a state of compliance with respect to medication of the hypertension as this is the only conceivable outcome which would reduce the health threat currently facing the patient. The paper suggests that the treatment modality for this case of delusion - where an aversion to medication is already apparent - should be to engage in discursive therapy with the patient.

From the Paper:

"One distinctly complicating factor of the particular scenario is the fact that delusional thinking demands a careful interpretation. The processes which enter into delusional thinking are not always immediately clear. So is this reinforced by the definition drawn from the source by Franklin (1997), which reports that "the DSM-IV defines delusions as "erroneous beliefs that usually involve a misinterpretation of perceptions or experiences." Delusions may be bizarre, that is, 'clearly implausible, not understandable, and not derived from ordinary life experiences' or nonbizarre, that is, involving 'situations that can conceivably occur in real life.' One problem with the DSM-IV definition is that it is not always possible to empirically determine whether the content of a belief is false. Thus, delusions can be placed on a continuum reflecting the availability of evidence that would confirm or disconfirm them." (Franklin, 1)
"In the case of the subject of our discussion, this is especially problematic because the patient has selectively determine that it was appropriate to cease taking her blood pressure medication. The decision to suddenly stop t aking one's medication can have damaging and potentially even fatal results. However, it is also directly within one's rights to make the decision that medicating a condition is either an undesirable or ineffective approach."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Franklin, K. (1997). Delusions in the Forensic Context. Karen Franklin, Forensic Psychologist. Online at http://www.karenfranklin.com/topix2-delusions.html
• Klatt, E.C. (2009). Myocardial Infarction. The University of Utah. Online at http://library.med.utah.edu/WebPath/TUTORIAL/MYOCARD/MYOCARD.html
• Wikipedia. (2009). Antihypertensive drugs. Wikimedia, Ltd. Inc.

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