EtOH Use and Abuse Flashcards
Pt is experiencing symptoms of EtOH withdrawal. What do you give them, from a pharm standpoint? How will they help?
Benzos
- relax the agitated pt
Thiamine
- bc chronic alcoholics are generally malnourished and need thiamine to metabolize glucose.
Pt is experiencing acute methanol or ethylene glycol intoxication. What two drugs can you give them to treat this? How do they work?
EtOH for methanol
Fomepizole for ethylene glycol
both - inhibit alcohol dehydrogenase –> can’t convert methanol/ethylene glycol to their toxic metabolites.
Disulfram prevents the action of this enzyme, resulting in an accumulation of this metabolite of EtOH that causes flushing and nausea.
What population’s enzyme deficiency mimics this?
–I Aldehyde dehydrogenase —> accu. of acetaldehyde –> nausea/flushing
Asian flush due to deficiency of aldehyde dehydrogenase
In what population is CYP metabolism of EtOH important?
Alcoholics.
In mild-moderate drinkers, CYPs do NOT metabolize EtOH
Some alcoholics find accumulation of acetaldehyde pleasurable. How is this possible?
Acetaldehyde accumulation in the periphery is unpleasant but pleasurable in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) where it reinforces alcohol seeking behavior. A polymorphism of aldehyde dehydrogenase causes this.
How does EtOH lead to toxic effects of acetaminophen?
How do you treat this toxicity?
EtOH induces CYP2E1
—> more production of NAPQI (toxic!)
N-acetylcysteine–> produces fresh substrate Glutathione to accelerate metabolism of NAPQI
—> cysteine and mercaptopuric acid conjugates (non-toxic)
What are the non-toxic metabolites of Tylenol?
Sulfate conjugate
Glucuronide conjugate
Who is more at risk for Tylenol toxicity, acute drinkers or chronic alcoholics?
Chronic alcoholics, bc they have baseline elevations of CYP2E1 that quickly converts acetaminophen—> NAPQI
Describe the physiological effects on a pt w/ a BAL (mg/dL) of:
limited muscular incoordination
Describe the physiological effects on a pt w/ a BAL (mg/dL) of:
50-100
Pronounced incoordination
Describe the physiological effects on a pt w/ a BAL (mg/dL) of:
100-150
Mood and personality changes; intoxication over the legal limit in most states.
Describe the physiological effects on a pt w/ a BAL (mg/dL) of:
150-400
Nausea, vomiting, marked ataxia, amnesia, disarthria
Describe the physiological effects on a pt w/ a BAL (mg/dL) of:
>400
Coma, respiratory insufficiency, death
What impact does EtOH have on:
GABAa?
GABA release, ^ receptor density
- hence sedation/depression!
What impact does EtOH have on:
NMDA?
Inhibition of postsynaptic NMDA receptors
Chronic use leads to upregulation —> seizures, CNS overstimulation during withdrawal
Initial inhibition leads to BLACKOUTS
What impact does EtOH have on:
Dopamine?
^ synaptic DA, ^ effects on VTA/nucleus accumbens reward