Adrenergic Receptor Agonists and Sympathomimetic Drugs Flashcards
What do Sympathomimetic/Adrenergic Drugs do?
Mimic actions of epinephrine or norepinephrine at adrenergic receptors.
How are Sympathomimetic/Adrenergic classified?
• Direct Agonists:
- Act directly on adrenergic receptors
• Indirect Agonists:
- Displace stored catecholamines from nerve
ending/varicosities or…
- Inhibit reuptake of catecholamines released from the nerve ending
What determines the effects of direct agonists?
1) Route of administration
2) Relative affinity for adrenergic receptor subtypes
3) Relative expression of receptor subtypes in the target tissue
What determines the effects of indirect agonists?
exhibit greater adrenergic effects in conditions of increased sympathetic tone and NE storage and release
Mechanism of Action:
- Pharmacological Actions mediated by G protein- coupled, adrenergic receptors (adrenoceptors)
- Notable G Proteins for Adrenergic Receptor Function:
* Gs – stimulatory G protein of adenylyl cyclase
* Gi & Go – inhibitory G protein of adenylyl cyclase
* Gq & G11 – couple α receptors to phospholipase C
Comparative Catecholamine Potencie /Relative Affinities at Adrenoceptors:
- α-receptors:
- epinephrine ≥ norepinephrine»_space; isoproterenol
- β-receptors:
- isoproterenol > epinephrine ≥ norepinephrine
Dopamine Receptors:
- particular importance in the brain, splanchnic and renal vasculature
- D1 & D5 (D1–like)
- D2, D3 & D4 (D2–like)
Dopamine Receptors, cont:
- D1 receptors stimulate adenylyl cyclase
* D2 receptors inhibit adenylyl cyclase, open K+ channels, decrease Ca++ influx
Adrenergic Agonist Receptor Selectivity:
Agonists generally selective for major types (α1,α2, β) but not for subtypes
Sympathomimetics (adrenergic agonists)
(Chemistry):
• catecholamines exhibit maximal activity at α & β receptors:
• absence of catechol hydroxyls = much lower potency (phenylephrine)
• not orally active - metabolized by catechol-O-
methyltransferase (COMT)
• absence of either or both OH- groups increases bioavailability, distribution (including CNS) and duration of action
Sympathomimetics (Chemistry):
• increasing size of additions on the amino group increases β-receptor activity
• β2-selective require larger amino substitutions
• larger the substitution the lower the α-receptor
activity
Sympathomimetics (Chemistry):
- α-carbon substitutions can block oxidation via MAO
- indirectly acting sympathomimetics
- can displace endogenous catecholamines from storage sites in adrenergic nerves
Effects of Sympathomimetics - (Cardiovascular):
• Have prominent cardiovascular effects
• wide distribution of α and β adrenergic receptors – heart;
vessels; neural/hormonal systems
• effect dependent upon relative selectivity for α and β receptors and the types of receptors present in a given tissue
• BP effects related to specific individual effects on HR and myocardial function (e.g., force of contraction, stroke volume, etc), PVR, venous return
Effects of Sympathomimetics – (Cardiovascular), cont:
• α1 receptors widely distributed in the vascular bed
• vasoconstriction – both arterial & venous
• increase peripheral arterial resistance/decrease venous capacitance= increase BP
• increase BP countered by the baroreceptor reflex to slow HR
• impairment of autonomic function in patients exhibit exaggerated CV responses to sympathomimetics
Effects of Sympathomimetics – (Cardiovascular), cont:
- α2-receptor activation
- α2 receptor activation in vascular bed
- vasoconstriction
- ONLY when administered locally or with very high systemic doses
- central effects of α2-receptors predominate when given systemically
- decreased sympathetic tone and BP
- therefore, α2-agonists could be used in treatment of hypertension
- α2 receptor activation in vascular bed
Effects of Sympathomimetics (Cardiovascular), cont:
β receptor activation, Heart:
• increase contractility (+ inotropy) +  increase HR (+ chronotropy) =  increase cardiac output
• β1 predominate blood vessels
• β agonists act at β2 to dilate vessels in certain vascular beds (e.g., skeletal muscle and decrease PVR)
• isoproterenol non-specific β agonist activates both subtypes (primarily β1 – heart/ β2 vessels)
Effects of Sympathomimetics – (Cardiovascular), cont:
• Dopamine (DA) receptor activation
• D1 activation – vasodilation
• presynaptic D2 receptors inhibit NE release from the sympathetic nerve
• DA activates β1 receptors in heart
• DA
• low dose decrease PVR
• higher dose stimulates vascular α-receptors with
vasoconstriction
• therefore high dose DA can mimic actions of epinephrine
Non-CV actions of sympathetic agonists:
• Lung
• β2 activation results in relaxation of bronchial
smooth muscle
• Eye
• α-receptor activation
• mydriasis (dilation) - a1
• increased outflow of aqueous humor (decrease intraocular pressure) - a2
• β-agonists – no effect / β-antagonists decrease  production of aqueous humor