A 48-year-old female presents with a 3-month history of excessive worry, difficulty concentrating, and persistent insomnia. She reports feeling “on edge” most days and has frequent muscle tension. She is unable to control her worry about work and personal issues, even though there is no clear threat. Her appetite has decreased, and she has lost 5 pounds over the past month. She denies any history of panic attacks or suicidal ideation. She has a history of hypertension, which is managed with medication.
Questions
1. Differential Diagnoses
Based on the patient’s presentation, what are the potential differential diagnoses? Prioritize these diagnoses based on the patient’s clinical presentation and risk factors.
2. Diagnostic Workup
What diagnostic tests would you order to differentiate between these diagnoses? Explain the rationale for each test.
3. Treatment Plan
Develop a comprehensive treatment plan for the most likely diagnosis, considering the patient’s age, comorbidities, and potential side effects.
4. Patient Education
What important information should you provide to the patient and their family regarding the diagnosis treatment and prevention of further episodes?
For peer response answer this:
· What medications could cause some of these issues?
· What would be your diagnosis if she was a young adult and an older adult?
Submission Instructions:
- Your initial post should be at least 500 words, formatted, and cited in current APA style with support from at least 2 academic sources.
- You should respond to at least two of your peers by extending, refuting/correcting, or adding additional nuance to their posts.
- All replies must be constructive and use literature where possible.
- Please post your initial response by 11:59 PM ET Thursday, and comment on the posts of two classmates by 11:59 PM ET Sunday.
- Late work policies, expectations regarding proper citations, acceptable means of responding to peer feedback, and other expectations are at the discretion of the instructor.
- You can expect feedback from the instructor within 48 to 72 hours from the Sunday due date.

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