PSEUDOEPHEDRINE

Pseudoephedrine appears to have less pressor activity and weaker central nervous system effects than ephedrine. It has agonist activity at both β1  and β2 adrenoceptors, leading to increased cardiac output and relaxation of bronchial smooth muscle.

Pseudoephedrine is rapidly absorbed throughout the body. It is eliminated largely unchanged in urine by N-demethylation.

It is indicated in symptomatic relief from stuffed nose, respiratory tract congestion, bronchospasm associated with asthma, bronchitis and other similar disorders.

Ethosuximide (Zarontin): use in absence seizures (may exacerbate tonic-clonic seizures)

Mechanism: ↓ T-type Ca currents in thalamic neurons, inhibits bursts of APs, ↓ synchronous neuronal firing
i.    Thalamo-cortical reverberating circuits: during absence type seizures, have reverberating circuits between cerebral cortex and thalamus at 3 Hz maintained by T-type Ca channels (since blocking these channels blocks the reverberating circuit)

Side effects: quite non-toxic; common= N/V and anorexia; less common = headache, sedation, photophobia

Adverse effects 

Nitrates 
– Headache, hypotension, dizziness, lightheadedness, tachycardia, palpitations 

Beta-adrenergic blocking agents
– hypotension, bradycardia, bronchospasm, congestive heart failure 

Calcium channel blockers 
– hypotension, dizziness, lightheadedness, weakness, peripheral edema, headache, congestive heart failure, pulmonary edema, nausea, and constipation 

Drugs that increase effects of Antianginal drugs 
• Antihypertensive 
• Diuretics 
• Phenothiazine antipsychotic agents
• Cimetidine 
• Digoxin 

Drugs that decrease effects of Antianginal
• Adrenergic drugs - epinephrine 
• Anticholinergic 
• Calcium salts 
• Phenobarbital, Phenytoin

Adjunctive Antianginal Drugs

In addition to antianginal drugs, several other drugs may be used to control risk factors and prevent progression of myocardial ischemia to myocardial infarction and sudden cardiac death.

These may include:
• Aspirin. This drug has become the standard of care because of its antiplatelet (ie, antithrombotic) effects. Recommended doses vary from 81 mg daily to 325 mg daily or every other day; apparently all doses are beneficial in reducing the possibility of myocardial reinfarction, stroke, and death. Clopidogrel 75 mg/day,
Is an acceptable alternative for individuals with aspirin allergy.

• Antilipemics. These drugs may be needed by clients who are unable to lower serum cholesterol levels sufficiently with a low-fat diet. Lovastatin or a related “statin” is often used. The goal is usually to reduce the serum cholesterol level below 200 mg/dL and lowdensitylipoprotein cholesterol to below 
130 mg/dL.

• Antihypertensives. These drugs may be needed for clients with hypertension. Because beta blockers and calcium channel blockers are used to manage hypertension as well as angina, one of these drugs may be effective for both disorders.

Ibuprofen

used to relieve the symptoms of arthritis, primary dysmenorrhoea, fever; and as an analgesic, especially where there is an inflammatory component.

Indications

rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, primary dysmenorrhoea

fever, relief of acute and/or chronic pain states in which there is an inflammatory component

MOA

inhibition of  cyclooxygenase (COX); thus inhibiting prostaglandin synthesis.

Procoagulant Drugs:

Desmospressin Acetate

• Is a synthetic analogue of the pituitary antidiuretic hormone (ADH).

• Stimulates the activity of Coagulation Factor VIII

• Use for treatment of hemophilia A with factor VIII levels less than or equal to 5%, treatment of hemophilia B or in clients who have factor VIII antibodies. Treatment of severe classic von Willebrand's disease (type I) and when an abnormal molecular form of factor VIII antigen is present. Use for type IIB von Willebrand's disease.

Anticonvulsant Drugs

A.    Anticonvulsants: drugs to control seizures or convulsions in susceptible people

B.    Seizures: abnormal neuronal discharges in the nervous system produced by focal or generalized brain disturbances

Manifestations: depend on location of seizure activity (motor cortex → motor convulsions, sensory cortex → abnormal sensations, temporal cortex → emotional disturbances)

Causes: many brain disorders such as head injury (glial scars, pH changes), anoxia (changes in pH or CSF pressure), infections (tissue damage, high T), drug withdrawal (barbiturates, ethanol, etc.), epilepsy (chronic state with repeated seizures)

C.    Epilepsy: most common chronic seizure disorder, characterized by recurrent seizures of a particular pattern,  many types (depending on location of dysfunction)

Characteristics: chronic CNS disorders (years to decades), involve sudden and transitory seizures (abnormal motor, autonomic, sensory, emotional, or cognitive function and abnormal EEG activity)

Etiology: hyperexcitable neurons; often originate at a site of damage (epileptogenic focus), often found at scar tissue from tumors, strokes, or trauma; abnormal discharge spreads to normal brain regions = seizure

Idiopathic (70%; may have genetic abnormalities) and symptomatic epilepsy (30%; obvious CNS trauma, neoplasm, infection, developmental abnormalities or drugs)

Neuropathophysiology: anticonvulsants act at each stage but most drugs not effective for all types of epilepsy (need specific drugs for specific types)

Seizure mechanism: enhanced excitation (glutamate) or ↓ inhibition (GABA) of epileptic focus → fire more quickly → ↑ release of K and glutamate → ↑ depolarization of surrounding neurons (=neuronal synchronization) → propagation (normal neurons activated)