Exam 2 - Neurology Meds (Part 2) Flashcards
PARKINSONS DISEASE
PARKINSONS DISEASE
What drugs can cause Parkinson’s disease?
Antipsychotics Dopamine antagonists Methyldopa Reserpine MPTP (made by scientist) Hydrogen sulfide Methanol
Pathophysiology of Parkinson’s disease
PARKINSONS DISEASE -
Depletion of dopamine neurons from substantia nigra, less activity on D1 and D2.
D1 - striatum sends out less GABA, which means GPi sends out more GABA.
D2 - has some dopaminergic activity; GABA is decreased, more glutamate stimulates GPi to release more GABA from GPi. More GABA means more inhibitory transmitters on Thalamus. Less movement on motor cortex.
Less dopamine leads to overactivity of acetylcholine.
Huntington’s Disease
- Involuntary motion and corea
- Don’t have enough inhibitory D2 action, which leads to overactivity and more movement initiated at the Thalamus.
How do you treat Huntington’s disease?
Tetrabenazine
- Depletes catelcholamines (Serotonin, NE, dopamine) to inhibit the involuntary movements.
- ADR: Can cause hypotension, depression, suicide.
Patient with an acute dystonic reaction from dopamine blocker, how do you treat condition?
You know they have too much Ach (flexed), so you use an anticholinergic:
- Benadryl
- Cogentin
Want to restore balance between Ach and dopamine.
If we have too little dopamine in CNS, how can we fix that problem?
Inhibit metabolic enzymes so dopamine can stay longer and have more activity.
OR
Provide patient with more precursor dopamine (L-DOPA) to help them produce more dopamine.
- Levodopa
- Carbodopa
How do you diagnose Parkinson’s disease?
- Clinical diagnosis
- Can also use levodopa or apomorphine (precursors to dopamine)
- If s/s decrease, can help to confirm dx.
What are non-pharmacologic options for Parkinson’s patients?
- Education and support
- Exercise and speech therapy
- Surgical: thalamotomy or deep brain stimulation
What types of drugs are neuroprotective and used to slow progression of PD?
- MAO-B inhibitors
- Dopamine agonists
What drugs are used for symptomatic treatment of PD?
- Anticholinergics
- MAO-B inhibitors
- COMT inhibitors
- Dopamine agonists, like ergot and non-ergot derivatives
- Dopamine precursors
What’s an advantage to neuroprotective drugs affect on dopamine metabolism?
- Dopamine agonists
- MAO-B inhibitors
Dopamine is metabolized by MAO-B enzymes, which yields dopamine and H2O2 as products.
H2O2 turns into free radicals and can damage cells/denature proteins. With more oxidative stress, neurons can be damaged and cause progression of disease.
Inhibiting enzyme = less free radical damage and dopamine stays around with longer duration of action.
When treating PD, how can you avoid oxidative stress from MAO-B enzyme?
If you keep giving precursor drugs that stimulate MAO-B, it can lead to progression of disease!!! BAD.
+ If you inhibit MAO-B enzyme, you can have less oxidative stress and excitatory toxicity. Dopamine neurons can work for longer.
+ Dopamine agonists can be used to replace normal dopamine to delay dyskinesia caused by oxidative stress.
What drugs, specifically, inhibit MAO-B?
- Selegiline
- Rasagiline
Selegiline
MAO-B inhibitor
- Delays need for levodopa
- Initial effects are not sustained
- Amphetamine derivative; is metabolized into amphetamine. False positive drug screen.
ADR
-Agitation, insomnia, hallucinations, orthostatic hypotension
-Hypotension - when standing, body sends out catecholamines to regulate BP. When you go to stand, you don’t have the reserves for extra to compensate as well for sitting-standing.
Rasagiline
MAO-B inhibitor
- Not metabolized into an amphetamine
- Fewer side effects
Rasagilline preferred over Selegiline.
When prescribing a patient Selegiline or Rasagiline; what is a risk?
Serotonin Syndrome
-By decreasing MAO-B, they can increase activity of other catecholamines, like dopamine.
Too much in synapse = serotonin syndrome.
When is it most appropriate to use MAO-B inhibitors?
- Mild PD, early on in treatment
- Don’t prescribe with tramadol, methodone, amphetamines, ephedra, dextromethorpan, MAO-inhibitors, or cyclobenzaprine…
- Will INCREASE risk of Serotonin Syndrome!!!!!
When prescribing MAO-inhibitors, what dietary restrictions should patient be placed on?
Tyramine
- Broken down into serotonin and NE
- If you inhibit MAO-B, you can get too high activity: increases Serotonin Toxicity risk.
High amounts in aged cheeses, meats, fava beans, red wine, dark chocolate, beer
If a patient on a MAO-B inhibitor ingests foods high in Tyrosine, what S/S may they experience?
Serotonin Syndrome
- Increased BP, tachycardia, hallucinations
- Good education point
In early, uncomplicated PD, how do you manage symptoms?
Anticholinergics - blocks Ach in XS to restore balance and limit side effects.
- Benztropin (Cogentin)
- Trihexyphenidyl (Artane)
- Diphenhydramine (Benadryl)
-Good for patients with tremor, but little hypokinesia.
-If they have cognitive impairment, DO NOT GIVE anticholinergic –
Will cause altered mental toxicity!!
Patient diagnosed with PD; main features are a tremor with no cognitive impairment. What drug would you use to treat?
-Benztropin (Cogentin)
Amantidine (Symmetrel)
Unclear MOA
- Amphetamine-like activity to increase release of dopamine.
- Anticholinergic effects
- MDMA antagonist affects
-Used in mild PD and in in ICU for patients with prolonged coma to reset CNS and wake them up.
- Renal elimination - adjust dose!!
- Can cause SEIZURES if drug level is too high!!
- Tolerance develops over time, will see decreased release of effect. :(
Dopamine Agonists
- First line therapy; delay treatment with L-DOPA.
- Goal: Keep patients off L-DOPA as long as possible to prevent the wearing of neurons.
- Can add to L-DOPA, but need to reduce the dose or you might see toxicity
- Slow progression of disease by replacing dopamine
- Drugs can work on D1, D2, and D3.
ADR
-Somnolence, confusion, hallucinations, punding, orthostatic hypotension, dyskinesia, peripheral edema
Ergot and non-ergot derivatives
Dopamine Agonists
- Ergots are based off of fungus.
- Non-ergots do NOT share chemical structure with those.
Punding
A human activity characterized by compulsive fascination with and performance of repetitive, mechanical tasks, such as assembling and disassembling, collecting, or sorting household objects.
What is a unique side effect to ergot derivatives?
Causes retroperitoneal fibrosis and mitral valve regurgitation.
Ergot Derivatives
Ergot Derivatives
- Bromocriptine (Parlodel)
- LSD
- Causes vasoconstriction, bc it binds to dopamine and serotonin receptors. Especially on fingers and toes.
- Can cause tissue necrosis and gangrene.
- CAT X: Do not give in pregnancy.
What are the non-ergot derivatives?
Non-Ergot Derivatives
- Pramipexole (Mirapex)
- Ropinirole (Requip)
- Rotigotine (Neupro)
- Apomorphine (Apokyn)
Which non-ergot derivative requires renal dosing?
Pramipexole (Mirapex)
Which non-ergot derivative is a transdermal product?
Rotigotine (Neupro)
-Rotate the application site
What non-ergot derivative is used for restless leg syndrome?
-Ropinirole (Requip)
Apomorphine (Apokyn)
- Dopamine receptor agonist (non-ergot derivative)
- Used for provocative testing; can give it to pt to see if they have a response to confirm dx of PD.
- Late stage disease, maybe used long-term.
- Subcutaneous
- Titrate to see response; response = improvement of symptoms.
What do Dopamine Agonists typically cause?
N/V – To prevent N/V, use Zofran and Phenergan to treat, normally. Do NOT use with apomorphine.
- Zofran: blocks 5HT3
- Phenergan: blocks dopamine receptors
- Monitor BP Q20mins.
- Will have stimulatory actions on neurons
Why don’t you mix Apomorphine (Apokyn) with 5HT3 antagonists (Zofran)?
- QT prolongation
- Hypotension
Gold standard for PD?
Levodopa/Carbidopa (Sinemet)
Levodopa
- Active component, precursor to dopamine
- Crosses BBB, gets converted to dopamine by L-AAD in striatum.
- Normal activity follows
Carbidopa
- Does not cross BBB
- Inhibits peripheral breakdown of Levodopa and reduces side effects.
Why isn’t Levodopa administered alone?
Drug, given by itself, will not get to BBB.
Can be metabolized by catecholamines and aminotransferase.
When given alone also causes N/V, arrythmias, hypotension.
If patient isn’t having good activity of Levodopa/Carbidopa, what do you do?
- Absorbed in duodenum
- Diet high in protein will inhibit absorption, because amino acids will compete for absorption
- Space out time drug is given from meal times.
Levodopa/Carbidopa (Sinemet) Pharmacokinetics
- Crosses BBB
- Saturable diffusion - when overloaded with drug, transporters are saturated and may take time to cross over.
- Half-life increased when you add enzyme inhibitors (entacopone).
- Give drug frequently or in XR preps.
Half-life of Levodopa
- 1 hr by itself
- 1.5hrs when combined with Carbidopa
- 2-2.5hrs when combined with Entacapone
Levodopa/Carbidopa (Sinemet)
- Place in therapy?
- Can be used as an initial therapy, but normally used when other drugs fail.
- Stresses out neurons and produces reactive oxygen species!!
- Most effective treatment for symptomatic treatment of PD.
- All patients require treatment.
ADR
-N/V, dyskinesia, hallucinations, insomnia, somnolence, depression, orthostatic hypotension.
What are the given forms of Levodopa/Carbidopa?
Sinemet
- Given TID
- Titrate to how well they can tolerate it based on their symptoms and SE
Sinemet CR
-Extended release, change dose every 3 days until they have good symptom release and limited SE.
Parcopa
- Oral disintegrating tablet
- Good for more progressive patients that have difficulty swallowing pill.
If you have a PD patient that has difficulty swallowing, what medication is apropriate?
Parcopa
- Oral disintegrating tablet
- More progressive patients that have difficulty swallowing pill.
Why is there a controversy between the initial choice of therapy for PD?
- Dopamine metabolism creates free radicals
- Dyskinesias are common with levodopa; too much dopamine can enhance huntington effect.
- Levodopa reduces mortality in PD
- Use of dopamine agonists and MAO-BIs for short term neuroprotection, before switching to L-DOPA.
What enhances affects of dopamine produced?
COMT inhibitors
- Tolcapone (Tasmar)
- Entacapone (Comtan)
- Inhibits COMT to increase half-life of L-DOPA
- Prolongs effects of dopamine and increases half-life.
If your PD patient is on COMT inhibitors and you are prescribing them Levodopa/Carbidopa (L-DOPA); what do you need to do?
- Decrease the L-DOPA dose by 25%. Dopamine lasts longer
- Increased side effects.
- Taper off dose, so there’s no sudden changes in dopamine levels.
- Do NOT give COMT inhibitors to patient in combination with MAO-inhibitors!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
COMT Inhibitors ADR
- Overactivity of L-DOPA
- Urine discoloration can be brown or orange.
Tolcapone (Tasmar)
- COMT inhibitor; not used.
- Black-boxed warning for hepatotoxicity (increases AST/ALT).