8.2 Substance of Abuse Flashcards
Generalities:
● Water soluble
● Rapidly absorbed (GI Tract)
● Primary form of Alcohol
● Rapid distribution (tissue)
● Volume of Distribution: 0.5-0.7 L/kg
Ethanol
What is the peak blood alcohol concentration in fasting state?
30 minutes
What is the peak blood alcohol concentration with food?
Delayed
(slow gastric emptying)
Metabolism of Alcohol:
What is the pathway of alcohol dehydrogenase pathway (primary)?
- ADH
- Located in liver, brain, stomach
- Rate of metabolism
- Vulnerability to alcohol-abuse disease
- Occurs in more in the stomach in men
Metabolism of Alcohol:
What is the pathway of Microsomal Ethanol-Oxidizing System (MEOS)?
- NADPH (cytochrome P450 enzyme)
- ABL: >100 mg/dL
- Chronic alcohol consumption (increases ethanol metabolism and clearance)
- More toxic byproducts
True or False:
In acetaldehyde metabolism, much of the acetaldehyde formed is catalyzed by aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH).
True
What is the product of the reaction of acetaldehyde dehydrogenase?
Acetate
Acetaldehyde Metabolism:
This is used to deter drinking by patients with alcohol dependence.
Disulfiram
Acetaldehyde metabolism:
Ethanol + Disulfiram = ?
- increases acetaldehyde = unpleasant reaction
- facial flushing, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, headache
Acetaldehyde metabolism:
What are the other drugs that inhibit ALDH?
- Metronidazole
- Cefotetan
- Trimethoprim
Acetaldehyde metabolism:
Some people of East Asian descent, have genetic deficiency of ALDH where they develop high blood acetaldehyde concentration and strongly protective against alcohol-use disorders.
Asian flush
What are the acute alcohol consumption in CNS?
- Sedation, anxiety relief
- High concentration: intoxidation or drunkenness
- High blood conc: coma, respiratory depression, death
- Signaling molecules effects: inc. GABA, decreased NMDA, adenylyl cyclase, PLc, ion channels
What are the acute aclohol consumption in the heart?
- Decreased myocardial contractility
- > 100 mgdL
What are the acute alcohol consumption in the smooth muscle?
- Vasodilator
- Hypothermia (marked in cold environments)
- Fibanserin: hypotensive effects, orthostatic hypotension, syncope
- Uterus relaxation
Clinical effects of blood alcohol concentration (BAC):
50-100 mg/dL
Sedation, subjective “high”, slower reaction times
Clinical effects of blood alcohol concentration (BAC):
100-200 mg/dL
Impaired motor function, slurred speech, ataxia
Clinical effects of blood alcohol concentration (BAC):
200-300 mg/dL
Emesis, stupor
Clinical effects of blood alcohol concentration (BAC):
300-400 mg/dL
Coma
Clinical effects of blood alcohol concentration (BAC):
500 mg/dL
>400 mg/dL
Respiratory depression, death
What is the tolerance, dependence in the chronic alcohol consumption?
- CNS adaptation and increase rate of ethanol metabolism
- Cross tolerance to sedative-hyptonic drugs (GABA)
- Psychological and physical dependence
What are the chronic alcohol consumption in the liver?
- Liver disease
- Reduced gluconeogenesis -> hypoglycemia
- Reversible fatty liver -> hepatitis, cirrhosis, liver failure
- Hepatic dysfunction (sever in women)
- Loss of function
What are the chronic alcohol consumption in the gastrointestinal system?
- Irritation, inflammation, bleeding, and scarring absorption defects
- Nutritional deficiencies
- Increased risk of pancreatitis
What are the chronic alcohol consumption in the CNS?
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome: thiamine deficiency
- Withdrawal symptoms (delirium tremens)
What are the acute alcohol consumption in the endocrine system and electrolyte balance?
- Gynecomastia
- Testicular atrophy
- Disorders of fluid and electrolyte balance
- Alteration of whole body potassium
- Severe secondary aldosteronism
- Hypoglycemia: hepatic gluconeogenesis
- Cortisol, GH: fluid and electrolyte imb
What are the chronic alcohol consumption in the cardiovascular system?
- Hypertension
- Anemia
- Dilated cardiomyopathy
- Arrhythmia (binge)
- Increase HDL (moderate)