NEET MDS Lessons
Pharmacology
Morphine
Morphine is effective orally, but is much less effective than when given parenterally due to first-pass metabolism in the liver. Metabolism involves glucuronide formation, the product of which is excreted in the urine.
1. Central Nervous System Effects
• Morphine has mixed depressant and stimulatory actions on the CNS.
• Analgesia:
• Dysphoria – Euphoria
- morphine directly stimulates the chemoreceptor trigger zone, but later depresses the vomiting center in the brain stem. This center is outside the blood/brain barrier.
- opiates appear to relieve anxiety
• Morphine causes the release of histamine and abolishes hunger.
- causes the body to feel warm and the face and nose to itch.
• Pupils are constricted.- due to stimulation of the nuclei of the third cranial nerves.
- tolerance does not develop to this effect.
• Cough reflex is inhibited. - this is not a stereospecific effect.
- dextromethorphan will suppress cough but will not produce analgesia.
• Respiration is depressed
- due to a direct effect on the brain stem respiratory center.
- death from narcotic overdose is nearly always due to respiratory arrest.
- the mechanism of respiratory depression involves:
• a reduction in the responsiveness of the brain stem respiratory centers to an increase in pCO2.
• depression of brain stem centers that regulate respiratory rhythm.
- hypoxic stimulation of respiration is less affected and O2 administration can produce apnea.
2. Cardiovascular Effects
• Postural orthostatic hypotension.- due primarily to peripheral vasodilation, which may be due in part to histamine release.
• Cerebral circulation is also indirectly influenced by increased pCO2, which leads to cerebral vasodilation and increased cerebrospinal fluid pressure.
• In congestive heart failure, morphine decreases the left ventricular workload and myocardial oxygen demand.
3. Endocrine Effects
• Increases prolactin secretion
• Increases vasopressin (ADH) secretion
• Decreases pituitary gonadotropin (LH & FSH) secretion.
• Decreases stress induced ACTH secretion.
4. Gastrointestinal Tract Effects
• Constipation (tolerance does not develop to this effect).
• Several of these agents can be used in the treatment of diarrhea.
There is an increase in smooth muscle tone and a decrease in propulsive contractions.
Adverse Reactions
Generally direct extensions of their pharmacological actions.
1. respiratory depression, apnea
2. nausea and vomiting
3. dizziness, orthostatic hypotension, edema
4. mental clouding, drowsiness
5. constipation, ileus
6. biliary spasm (colic)
7. dry mouth
8. urine retention, urinary hesitancy
9. hypersensitivity reactions (contact dermatitis, urticaria)
Precautions
1. respiratory depression, particularly in the newborn
3. orthostatic hypotension
4. histamine release (asthma, shock)
5. drug interactions (other CNS depressants)
6. tolerance:
- analgesia, euphoria, nausea and vomiting, respiratory depression
7. physical dependence (psychological & physiological)
Classification
I) Esters
1. Formed from an aromatic acid and an amino alcohol.
2. Examples of ester type local anesthetics:
Procaine
Chloroprocaine
Tetracaine
Cocaine
Benzocaine- topical applications only
2) Amides
1. Formed from an aromatic amine and an amino acid.
2. Examples of amide type local anesthetics:
Articaine
Mepivacaine
Bupivacaine
Prilocaine
Etidocaine
Ropivacaine
Lidocaine
Isoflurane (Forane) MAC 1.3%, Blood/gas solubility ratio 1.4
- Better muscle relaxation than with the other halogenated anesthetic agents.
- Isoflurane markedly potentiates the action of the neuromuscular blocking agents.
- Produces rapid onset and recovery of anesthesia.
- Does not sensitize the heart to catecholamines.
- Produces respiratory depression, but produces less cardiovascular depression
- than does halothane.
- It has an extremely low degree of metabolism and is apparently relatively
- nontoxic.
Insulin
Insulin is only given parenterally (subcutaneous or IV) Various preparations have different durations of action
|
Preparation |
Onset (hrs) |
Peak (hrs) |
Duration (hrs) |
| Lispro (rapid-acting) | 15 min | 0.5-1.5 | 3-4 |
| Regular (short-acting) | 0.5-1 | 2-4 | 5-7 |
| NPH (intermediate) | 1-2 | 6-12 | 18-24 |
| Glargine (long-acting) | 1 | None | >24 |
Mechanism
bind transmembrane insulin receptor
activate tyrosine kinase
phosphorylate specific substrates in each tissue type
liver
↑ glycogenesis
store glucose as glycogen
muscle
↑ glycogen and protein synthesis
↑ K+ uptake
fat
increase triglyceride storage
Clinical use
type I DM
type II DM
life-threatening hyperkalemia
increases intracellular K+
stress-induced hyperglycemia
Toxicity
hypoglycemia
hypersensitivity reaction (very rare)
Insulin Synthesis
first generated as preproinsulin with an A chain and B chain connected by a C peptide.
c-peptide is cleaved from proinsulin after packaging into vesicles leaving behind the A and B chains
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.
Antidiarrheal
Antidiarrheal drugs may be given to relieve the symptom (non-specific therapy) or may be given to treat the underlying cause of the symptom (specific therapy).
Ι. Drugs used for the symptomatic (non-specific) treatment of diarrhoea include:
• Opiates and opiate derivatives are the most effective (such as morphine), but it is not used because of potentially serious adverse effects. Other agents, such as diphenoxylate and loperamide, are commonly used.
• Adsorbent – demulcent products such as kaolin – pectin preparation may be included in antidiarrheal preparations. Unfortunately, they may adsorb nutrients and other drugs, including the antidiarrheal agents if given concurrently.
• Anticholinergic agents e.g. atropine is occasionally used to decrease abdominal cramping and pain associated with diarrhoea.
ΙΙ. Specific therapy may include the use of antibacterial agents that are recommended for use in carefully selected cases of bacterial enteritis. For example, severe diarrhoea by salmonella, shigella, campylobacter and clostridia species can be treated by antibiotics (ampicillin, chloramphenicol, co-trimoxazole).
Mixed Narcotic Agonists/Antagonists
These drugs all produce analgesia, but have a lower potential for abuse and do not produce as much respiratory depression.
A. Pentazocine
- Has a combination of opiate analgesic and antagonist activity.
- Orally, it has about the same analgesic potency as codeine.
- In contrast to morphine, cardiac workload tends to increase due to an increase in pulmonary arterial and cerebrovascular pressure. Blood pressure and heart rate both also tend to increase.
- Adverse reactions to Pentazocine
• Nausea, vomiting, dizziness.
• Psychotomimetic effects, such as dysphoria, nightmares and visual hallucinations.
• Constipation is less marked than with morphine.
B. Nalbuphine
- Has both analgesic and antagonist properties.
- Resembles pentazocine pharmacologically.
- Analgesic potency approximately the same as morphine.
- Appears to be less hypotensive than morphine.
- Respiratory depression similar to morphine, but appears to peak-out at higher doses and to reach a ceiling.
- Like morphine, nalbuphine reduces myocardial oxygen demand. May be of value following acute myocardial infarction due to both its analgesic properties and reduced myocardial oxygen demand.
- Most frequent side effect is sedation.
C. Butorphanol
- Has both opiate agonist and antagonist properties.Resembles pentazocine , pharmacologically., 3.5 to 7 times more potent than morphine., Produces respiratory depression, but this effect peaks out with higher doses. The respiratory depression that does occur lasts longer than that seen following morphine administration.
- Butorphanol, like pentazocine, increases pulmonary arterial pressure and possibly the workload on the heart.
- Adverse reactions include sedation, nausea and sweating.
D. Buprenorphine
- A derivative of eto`rphine. Has both agonist and antagonist activity. 20 to 30 times more potent than morphine.Duration of action only slightly longer than morphine, but respiratory depression and miosis persist well after analgesia has disappeared.
- Respiratory depression reaches a ceiling at relatively low doses.
- Approximately 96% of the circulating drug is bound to plasma proteins.
- Side effects are similar to other opiates:
- sedation, nausea, vomiting,
- dizziness, sweating and headache.