Lec. 2: Sedative-Hypnotic Drugs Flashcards
What are the three main categories of sedative hypnotic drugs?
- Benzodiazepines
- Barbiturates
- Miscellaneous Drugs
What drug further depresses the CNS as dose is increased? (Lethal and therapeutic range are close together)
Barbiturates
What drug has a greater range between therapeutic and lethal doses?
Benzodiazepines
What is a sedative?
A drug that reduces anxiety (anxiolytic) and produces a sense of calm in an individual.
What is a hypnotic?
A drug that induces drowsiness and promotes sleep.
Name five general uses of sedative-hypnotic drugs.
- Anxiolytic (anxiety)
- Anticonvulsant
- Sedative Hynotics
- Central Muscle Relaxant
- Potentiation of CNS Depression
What sedative-hypnotic drug is used to treat anxiety?
Benzodiazepines
What sedative-hynotic drug is used to treat epilepsy?
Barbiturates and Benzodiazepines
What sedative-hypnotic drug is used to treat alcohol detoxification?
Benzodiazepines
What sedative-hypnotic drug is used to treat insomnia?
Benzodiazepines and non-benzodiazepines
What sedative-hypnotic drug is used to treat spasticity (central muscle relaxant)?
Benzodiazepines
What sedative-hypnotic drug is used as an anesthetic (potentiation of CNS depression)?
Barbiturates and benzodiazepines
What determines how onset and duration of action of a drug?
Lipid solubility
Describe the hangover effect of highly lipid soluble drugs.
Drug hangs around in the body and will re-enter the CNS
Name two barbiturates that have a long (8-12 hrs) duration of action.
- Phenobarbital
2. Mephobarbital
Name the barbiturate that has a ultra-short (15-20 min) duration of action.
Thiopental
What is the clinical use of Thiopental?
Anesthesia
What is the clinical use of Phenobarbital?
Hypnotic and Anticonvulsant
What is the clinical use of Mephobarbital?
Anticonvulsant
Name three barbiturates that have an intermediate (2-4 hrs) duration of action.
- Pentobarbital
- Secobarbital
- Amobarbital
Barbiturates bind to ? receptors and increase or decrease the duration of opening of ? ion channels, thus leading to ?-polarization of the neuron.
- GABA
- Increase
- Cl-
- Hyper-polarization
Where are barbiturates metabolized and where are they excreted?
Metabolized in the liver and excreted by the kidneys.
What are the effects of barbiturates on the CNS?
Cause CNS depression from sedation to coma and death.
What are the effects of barbiturates on the respiratory system?
Causes inhibition of ganglionic transmission, decrease in BP, and decreased sympathetic tone
What are the effects of barbiturates on the GI tract?
Decreased tone and contractions of GI and urinary smooth muscle.
***What are the effects of barbiturates on the liver?
Causes induction of cytochrome P-450 enzymes in the liver.
What are six major problems with barbiturates?
- Narrow therapeutic index
- Lethal in overdose
- Rapid development of tolerance that may lead to physical dependence (addiction)
- Cross placental barrier
- Exacerbate Porphyrin synthesis
- Drug interactions result from cytochrome P-450.
Barbiturates cause induction of cytochrome P-450. Why can this be a problem when taking other drugs?
This can lower the therapeutic effectiveness of many drugs.
Name six drug interactions that are created from the induction of cytochrome P-450 enzymes from barbiturates.
- TCA’s
- Anticoagulants
- Quinidine
- Digoxin
- Estrogen
- Antibiotics
Name the three components of the benzodiazepines structure.
- Benzene ring
- Benzene ring
- 7-membered ring (diazepine)
What three electronegative substitutions can be made on Benzodiazepine to increase anxiolytic activity?
Cl > Br > NO2
Name two short acting (2.5 hr) BZDs.
- Midazolam
2. Triazolam
Name the six intermediate acting (12-15 hrs) BZDs.
- Alprozolam
- Halazepam
- Lorazepam
- Oxazepam
- Temazepan
- Estazolam
Name the five long acting (20-60 hrs) BZDs.
- Chlordiazepoxide
- Chlonazepam
- Diazepam
- Flurazepam
- Chlorazepate
What is the name of the BZD antagonist?
Flumazenil
What is the only BZD that transforms directly to a 3-Hydroxy derivative and is it short, intermediate, or long acting?
- Estazolam
2. Intermediate Acting
How many biotransformations do short acting BZDs AND Alprazolam undergo and what derivative do they become?
- One
2. Alpha-Hydroxy derivative
What is the final form that BZDs take before being excreted and where are they excreted?
- Glucuronide Conjugates
2. Kidney
What is the only BZD that transforms directly to a 3-hydroxy derivative and is it long, intermediate, or short acting?
- Estazolam
2. Intermediate acting
How many transformations does Quazepam undergo and is it a long, intermediate, or short acting drug?
- Two
2. Intermediate
What two BZD have the most biotransformations (longest half-life) and how many do they have?
- Chlordiazepoxide and Flurazepam
- Chlordiazepoxide: 4
Flurazepam: 3
What is the name of the intermediate acting BZD that acts as a 3-hydroxy compound and that most long acting BZDs will transform into?
Oxazepam
What is the name of the two intermediate acting BZD that transform directly into glucuronide conjugates?
- Lorazepam
2. Temazepam
BZD bind to the ? receptor and cause the increase of ? ion channel opening.
- GABA(A)
2. Cl- ion
T or F. Ethanol can also bind to GABA(A) receptors and can therefore summate with BZDs.
True
What receptor do barbiturates and BZDs act on?
GABA(A)
BZD bind to GABA(A) and change the ? the channel opens, but barbiturates bind to GABA(A) and change the ? the channel opens.
- Frequency
2. Amount of time
BZD binding to GABA(A) cause the opening of ? channels and influx of ? ions, which leads to the ?-polarization of the neuron.
- Cl-
- Cl-
- Hyper-polarization
What is the action of Midazolam?
It is a full BZD agonist
T or F. Midazolam can be used for conscious sedation and as a pre-medication for dental or minor surgery?
True
Diazepam is a long acting BZD and midazolam is short acting. Which drug is more water soluble and has a faster onset and shorter duration of action?
Midazolam
What drug can be used to block the effects of Buspirone?
Flumazenil
Buspirone does not act directly with the GABAergic system, but is a partial agonist with ? receptors.
5-HT
Where does Flumazenil perform its action?
At the BZD binding site on the GABA receptor
What is the clinical use to Flumazenil?
Reversal of BZD induced sedation
Flumazenil can only be administered via ? and has a very ? duration of action.
- IV
2. Short
BZD with inducers of cytochrome P-450 cause what?
Increased rate of metabolism, which reduces bioavailability of BZDs.
BZD with inhibitors of cytochrome P-450 cause what?
Decreased rate of metabolism, which increases the bioavailability of BZD and prolongs their effects.
T or F. If BZD can be withdrawn quickly.
False. They should be withdrawn gradually; there is a real risk of eliciting withdrawal or abstinence syndrome.
What type of dependence is likely to develop after prolonged used of BZD?
Physical dependence
What are BZD used for in dentistry?
Pre-operative sedation and balanced anesthesia
What type of drug could be used to treat general anxiety disorder?
BZDs
BZDs and most hypnotics suppress what stages of sleep?
Stages 3, 4, and 5
What drug can be used to restore the sleep pattern to normal and induces sleep when the patient is awake?
Zolpidem
What is the effect of BZD on stages 1 and 2?
Increases length of stages
What is the effect of BZD on stages 3, 4, and 5?
Decreases length of stages
Do short acting BZD increase or decrease latency of sleep onset?
Decrease
Which BZD have the highest abuse potential with alcohol?
Long acting BZD hypnotics
In what stage is there rapid eye movement?
REM sleep
T or F. The REM sleep is called paradoxical sleep since the EEG pattern of REM resembles wakefulness.
True
Which is better for normal sleep, BZD or zolpidem?
Zolpidem because it induces sleep and then causes little change.
What non-BZD is best for patients that awaken in the middle of the night and can’t go back to sleep?
Zaleplon
Do antihistamines cause drowsiness?
Yes
Does alcohol help or hinder sleep?
Hinder
What is an effective short term hypnotic drug and will cause drug dependency insomnia within two weeks?
Chloral Hydrate
Are short or long acting BZD preferred for elderly patients?
Short acting BZD