Anxiolytic & Hypnotic (General) Flashcards
Define Anxiety
Disorders of fear that involve a feeling of uneasiness, nervousness, etc.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Ongoing state of excessive anxiety that lacks clear focus or reason
Social Anxiety Disorder
Fear of being with and interacting with people
Phobias
Strong fears of specific objects/situations
Panic Disorder
Sudden attacks of overwhelming fear accompanied with somatic symptoms
Post-Traumatic-Stress-Disorder
Anxiety that is triggered by recall of past stressful experiences
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Compulsive ritualistic behaviour driven by irrational anxiety
Anxiety and _______ have a strong link/relationship
Anxiety and Depression
Benzodiazepines (Structure)
Class of drugs that contains a benzene ring fused with a diazepine ring
Benzodiazepines (Used to Treat)
Treats Acute Anxiety
(During medical procedure, also treats insomnia)
Benzodiazepines (Duration of Action)
4-48 Hours
Short to Long Lasting Effects
Benzodiazepines (Short Acting Effect)
Short acting effects used for their hypnotic effects
Benzodiazepines (Mechanism)
Positive Allosteric Modulator
Selective for GABA(A) Receptors
Binds to GABA Receptor (does not bind to the same binding site of GABA)
Facilitates Cl- Channel allowing more Cl- in, (Increases frequency of channel opening)
GABA(A) Receptors (Sleep Effects are Mediated By?)
Alpha 1 Subunit induces sleep
GABA(A) Receptors (Anxiolytic Effects are Mediated By?)
Alpha 2 Subunit mediates the main anxiolytic effect
Benzodiazepines (Effects)
Reduces anxiety and aggression
Induces sleep
Anticonvulsant Effects
Anterograde Amnesia
Anterograde Amnesia
Prevents formation of memory of events when under Benzodiazepines
Benzodiazepines (Unwanted Effects)
Drowsiness/Sedation
Amnesia
Impaired Coordination
Enhanced depressant effect of alcohol
Can be Abused
Acute Toxicity
Benzodiazepines (Acute Toxcity)
Little risk of overdose, prolonged dosages will not cause serious depression of respiratory and cardiovascular
Benzodiazepines (Alcohol)
If Benzodiazepines are taken with alcohol it can cause life threatening respiratory depression
Postsynaptic 5-HT(1A)
Receptors are highly expressed in parts of brain related to emotional behaviour (Limbic System)
Presynaptic 5-HT(1A)
Autoreceptors are inhibitory
Buspirone (Mechanism of Action)
Acts as a partial agonist and binds to 5-HT1A Autoreceptors leading to an initial inhibition
Over time HT1A Autoreceptors will be desensitized to overactivation and lose their inhibitory effects –> Thus, Enhancing 5-HT Release
Buspirone (Used to Treat)
Treats Generalized Anxiety Disorders (Takes a while to produce anxiolytic effect, thus, not used to treat acute anxiety)
Buspirone (Unwanted Effects)
Dizziness
Headache
Nausea
Antidepressants (What kind of drugs)
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors
Antidepressants (Effects)
Treats Chronic Anxiety
Reduce depression associated with anxiety
(Takes weeks to produce anxiolytic effects)
–> Mechanism is similar to Buspirone
Beta-Blockers
Propranolol
Treats somatic symptoms of anxiety
Reduces Tachycardia, Tremors, Sweating
Insomnia (Treated by what class of drugs? How long do symptoms last?)
Hypnotic Drugs
Can be transient, long-term, chronic
Related to anxiety and depression
Drugs to treat insomina
Benzodiazepine like drugs
Sedating antihistamines (First-gen)
Melatonin
Mechanism of Benzodiazepine-Like Drugs
Zolpidem
Not structurally similar to BZD but, have a similar mechanism where they bind to GABA(A1) Receptors (Which induces sleep)
Mechanism of First-Generation Antihistamines
Diphenhydramine
CNS Depressive Effect
Blockage of neural M1 Muscarinic Receptors
When is Melatonin Secreted? Why?
Secretion is high at night to help you fall asleep
Melatonin Receptors. Where are they located?
MT1 and MT2
Located in Suprachiasmatic Nucleus (SCN)
MT1 Activation Results in What?
Inhibits neuronal firing within SCN
MT2 Activation Results in What?
Phase shifts circadian rhythm produced by SCN
