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Nursing Practice 2 > Drugs affecting the Nervous System > Flashcards

Drugs affecting the Nervous System Flashcards

1
Q

True or False
The activities of the central and peripheral nervous system are coordinated and integrated. Drugs may alter the physiological processes at receptor sites of the nervous system.

A

True

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2
Q

Describe the effects of sympathomimetic drugs (adrenergic agonist)

A
  • Produce their effects by activating adrenergic receptors
  • Sympathetic nervous system acts through these same receptors, responses to adrenergic agonists and responses to stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system are very similar
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3
Q

Explain the effects of sympatholytics drugs (adrenergic antagonist)

A
  • Cause direct blockage of adrenergic receptors

* One exception, all of the adrenergic antagonists produce reversible (competitive) blockade.

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4
Q

Explain the effects of parasympathomimetics drugs (cholinergic agonists)

A

• The muscarinic agonists bind to muscarinic receptors and thereby cause receptor activation.

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4
Q

Define cholinergic crisis

A

Overdose with cholinesterase inhibitors causes excessive muscarinic stimulation and respiratory depression. This state produced by the over dose is referred to as cholinergic crisis

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5
Q

Describe the effects of parasympatholytics drugs ( anticholinergics or cholinergic antagonists)

A

• Muscarinic antagonists competitively block the actions of acetylcholine at muscarinic receptors.

Additional names for these agents are antimuscarinic drugs, muscarinic blockers, and anticholinergic drugs.

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6
Q

What are Anxiolytic?

A

Agents given to relieve anxiety

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7
Q

What are Hypnotics?

A

Agents given to promote sleep

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9
Q

What are the effects of Benzodiazepines?

A

○ Depresses neuronal function at multiple sites in the CNS

○ Reduce anxiety through effects on the limbic system, a neuronal network associated with emotionality

○ Promotes sleep through effects on cortical areas and on the sleep-wakefulness clock

○ Induce muscle relaxation through effects on supraspinal motor areas, including cerebellum

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10
Q

What are the effects of Barbiturates?

A 
○ Daytime sedation
○ Induction of sleep
○ Suppression of seizures
○ General Anesthesia
○ Causes tolerance and dependence, high abuse potential
○ Powerful respiratory depressant
○ CNS depression
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10
Q

Compare acute and chronic pain.

A
  • Chronic Pain: Pain over a long period of time

* Acute Pain: Acute pain attack

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11
Q

Describe tonic-clonic seizure.

A

• The neuronal discharge spreads through both hemispheres of the cerebral cortex
• They manifest as major convulsions
○ Characterized by period of muscle rigidity (tonic phase)
Followed by synchronous muscle jerks (clonic phase)

  • Often cause urination, but not defecation
    • Convulsions may be preceded by a loud cry, caused by forceful expiration of air across the vocal cords

• Accompanied by marked impairment of consciousness, followed by a period of CNS depression

○ Referred to as the postictal state
• Lasts 90 seconds or less

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12
Q

Discuss the deleterious effects of unrelieved pain

A
  • Pain has profound impact on both patient and family
    • Undermines quality of life
    • Puts heavy burden on family
    • Compromises the pt’s ability to work, enjoy leisure activities, and fulfill his/her role in the family & society at large
    • Pain can impede recovery
    • Hasten death from cancer
    • Create risk of suicide
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13
Q

Define abuse

A

using a drug in a fashion inconsistent with medical or social norms

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14
Q

Define addiction

A

chronic, relapsing brain disease that is characterized by compulsive drug seeking use, despite harmful consequences

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15
Q

Define physical dependence

A

state in which an abstinence syndrome will occur if drug use is discontinued.
○ Result of neuradaptive processes that take place in response to prolonged drug exposure

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16
Q

What are Symptoms of inflammation:

A

○ Pain
○ Swelling
○ Redness
○ Warmth

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17
Q

What can consist of a postsynaptic cell?

A
  • another neurone
  • a muscle cell
  • or a cell within a secretory gland
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18
Q

What are the 2 steps in the process by which the neurone influences the behaviour of the postsynaptic cell?

A

1) Axonal Conduction

2) Synaptic Transmission

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19
Q

True or False
The impact of a drug on a neuronal regulated process is dependent of the ability of that drug to directly or indirectly influence the receptor activity on target cells

A

TRUE

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20
Q

Which process is more SELECTIVE?

Axonal Conduction or Synaptic Transmission

A

Synaptic Transmission

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21
Q

What does the effects of neuropharmacologic drugs affect?

A

the receptor activity

22
Q

True or False

A drug that alters axonal conduction will affect the conduction in all nerviest to which it has access?

A

TRUE

23
Q

True or False
Drugs that alter synaptic transmission are more selective, and unlike axons differ from one and other. Synapses at different sites employ different transmitters?

A

TRUE

24
Q

What are the Steps in Synaptic Transmission?

A

1) Transmitter Synthesis
2) Transmitter Storage
3) Transmitter Release
4) Receptor Binding
5) Termination of Transmission

25
Q

When a drug influences receptor function, that drug can do one of two things: what are they?

A

1) it can ENHANCE receptor activation, or

2) it can REDUCE receptor activation

26
Q

A drug whose effects mimic the effects of a natural transmitter would be said to _______ receptor activation. A drug whose effects were equivalent to reducing the amount of natural transmitter available of receptor binding would be said to _______ receptor activation

A

Increase, decrease

27
Q

True or False

The activation of a receptor always means that a physiologic process will go faster.

A

FALSE

28
Q

What are drugs that prevent receptor receptor activation called?

A

Antagonists

29
Q

What are drugs that directly activate receptors ?

A

Agonists

30
Q

The more types of receptors we have to work with, the_________ our chances of producing selective drugs effects.

a) greater
b) lesser

A

a) greater

31
Q

What does PNS stand for?

A

Peripheral Nervous System

32
Q

What are the 2 major subdivisions of the PNS?

A

1) Somatic motor system

2) Autonomic nervous system

33
Q

What doe the somatic motor system control?

A

voluntary movement of muscles

34
Q

What are the 2 subdivisions of the autonomic system?

A
  • parasympathetic nervous system

- sympathetic nervous system

35
Q

The 2 subdivisions of the autonomic nervous system regulates many _______ processes.

A

involuntary

36
Q

What are the principal functions of the autonomic nervous system?

A

1) regulation of the heart
2) regulation of secretory glands
3) regulation of smooth muscles

37
Q

Which nervous system

  • slows down the heart rate
  • increases gastric secretion
  • empties the bladder and bowel
  • focuses the eye for near vision
  • constructs the pupils
  • contracts bronchial smooth muscle
A

Parasympathetic

38
Q

What are the principal functions of the sympathetic nervous system?

A
  • regulation of the cardiovascular system
  • regulation of body temperature
  • implementation of the fight or flight response
39
Q

What are the 3 transmitters of the peripheral nervous system?

A

1) acetylcholine
2) norepinephrine
3) epinephrine

40
Q

What are the categories of cholinergic drugs

A 
Muscarinic agonist
Muscarinic antagonist
Ganglionic stimulating agents
Ganglionic blocking agents
Neuromuscular blocking agents
Cholincesterase inhibitors
41
Q

What is the difference between a sedative and a hypnotic drug?

A

Sedatives are drugs that decrease activity and have a calming, relaxing effect. People use these drugs mainly to reduce anxiety.

At higherdoses, sedatives usually cause sleep. Drugs used mainly to cause sleep are called hypnotics.

The difference between sedatives and hypnotics, then, is usually the amount of the dose-lower doses have a calming effect and higher doses cause sleep.

42
Q

What are commonly used for sedation?

A

Currently, the most commonly prescribed sedatives are benzodiazepines, such as Valium. These drugs are also known as minor tranquilizers.

43
Q

What is a Benzodiazepines?

A

Bind to GABA receptor chloride channels
Used for anxiety, insomnia, seizure disorders
Adverse effects: anterograde amnesia, confusion, ataxia

44
Q

What is a Barbiturate

A

Bind to GABA receptor chloride channels
Insomnia, induction of anesthesia, inhibit seizure activity.

Adverse effects: “hangover effects”, respiratory depression; hypotension (at toxic doses)
Tolerance/physical dependence

45
Q

Name some examples of benzodiazepines

A 
Examples 
lorazepam (Ativan)
diazepam (Valium)
alprazolam (Xanax)
oxazepam (Serax)
chlordiazepoxide (Librium)
flurazepam (Dalmane) 
temazepam (Restoril)
midazolam (Versed)
46
Q

Name examples of barbiturates

A 
Pentobarbital (Nembutal)
Secobarbital (Seconal)
Thiopental sodium (Pentothal)
Phenobarbital (Luminal)
Primidone (Mysoline)
47
Q

What are some adverse effects of opioids?

A 
Cough suppression
Constipation 
Sedation
Urinary retention
Orthostatic hypotension
Respiratory depression 
Emesis
Miosis
Biliary colic
Increased intracranial pressure
Tolerance
Physical dependence
Toxicity : coma, respiratory depression, pinpoint pupils
48
Q

What is a Percocet?

A

acetaminophen and oxycodone

49
Q

What is a Percodan?

A

aspirin and oxycodone

50
Q

Drugs can activate adrenergic receptors by what 4 basic mechanisms?

A

○ Direct receptor binding
○ Promotion of norepinephrine release
○ Blockage of NE reuptake
○ Inhibition of NE inactivation

51
Q

Most adrenergic antagonists are more selective as a result, the adrenergic antagonists can be divided into what 2 groups?

A

○ Alpha-adrenergic blocking agents

○ Beta adrenergic blocking agents

52
Q

What are Important side effects of benzodiazepines?

A

§ Confusion

§ Anterograde amnesia

Nursing Practice 2 (15 decks)

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