Drugs affecting the Nervous System Flashcards
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.
True
Describe the effects of sympathomimetic drugs (adrenergic agonist)
- 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
Explain the effects of sympatholytics drugs (adrenergic antagonist)
- Cause direct blockage of adrenergic receptors
* One exception, all of the adrenergic antagonists produce reversible (competitive) blockade.
Explain the effects of parasympathomimetics drugs (cholinergic agonists)
• The muscarinic agonists bind to muscarinic receptors and thereby cause receptor activation.
Define cholinergic crisis
Overdose with cholinesterase inhibitors causes excessive muscarinic stimulation and respiratory depression. This state produced by the over dose is referred to as cholinergic crisis
Describe the effects of parasympatholytics drugs ( anticholinergics or cholinergic antagonists)
• Muscarinic antagonists competitively block the actions of acetylcholine at muscarinic receptors.
Additional names for these agents are antimuscarinic drugs, muscarinic blockers, and anticholinergic drugs.
What are Anxiolytic?
Agents given to relieve anxiety
What are Hypnotics?
Agents given to promote sleep
What are the effects of Benzodiazepines?
○ 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
What are the effects of Barbiturates?
○ Daytime sedation ○ Induction of sleep ○ Suppression of seizures ○ General Anesthesia ○ Causes tolerance and dependence, high abuse potential ○ Powerful respiratory depressant ○ CNS depression
Compare acute and chronic pain.
- Chronic Pain: Pain over a long period of time
* Acute Pain: Acute pain attack
Describe tonic-clonic seizure.
• 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
Discuss the deleterious effects of unrelieved pain
- 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
Define abuse
using a drug in a fashion inconsistent with medical or social norms
Define addiction
chronic, relapsing brain disease that is characterized by compulsive drug seeking use, despite harmful consequences
Define physical dependence
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
What are Symptoms of inflammation:
○ Pain
○ Swelling
○ Redness
○ Warmth
What can consist of a postsynaptic cell?
- another neurone
- a muscle cell
- or a cell within a secretory gland
What are the 2 steps in the process by which the neurone influences the behaviour of the postsynaptic cell?
1) Axonal Conduction
2) Synaptic Transmission
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
TRUE
Which process is more SELECTIVE?
Axonal Conduction or Synaptic Transmission
Synaptic Transmission
What does the effects of neuropharmacologic drugs affect?
the receptor activity
True or False
A drug that alters axonal conduction will affect the conduction in all nerviest to which it has access?
TRUE
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?
TRUE
