Local Anesthetics Flashcards
Local anesthetics - Mechanism of action
Blockade of voltage-gated Na+ channels in nerve axons (stops action potentials)
Name the three states of Na+ channels
Resting - Open - Inactivated
How do most Local Anesthetics reach the binding site?
Most cross neuron cell membrane in UNIONIZED form, get to binding site from the inside
Local Anesthetics - Absorption
Normally applied DIRECTLY to site of action
Local Anesthetics - Distribution
-Action terminated by redistribution (travel away from area)
Local Anesthetics - Distribution - How can you decrease redistribution, to prolong the effects?
Use a Vasoconstrictor (*epinephrine)
Local Anesthetics - Metabolism of Ester-type
Rapid breakdown by plasma pseudocholinesterases
Local Anesthetics - Metabolism of Amine-type
Metabolized in liver
Local Anesthetics - two types
Ester & Amine (type of bond between the aromatic group and tertiary amine group)
Local Anesthetics - General structure/ chemistry
Aromatic group joined to tertiary amine group by either an amide or an ester “middle” group
Name the Amine Local Anesthetics
Lidocaine - Bupivicaine - Mepivicaine - Ropivicaine - Prilocaine - Dibucaine (Cinchocaine)
What do most Local Anesthetics end with?
-caine
Name the ester-type Local Anesthetics
Procaine - Benzocaine - Proparacaine - Tetracaine - Cocaine
Local Anesthetics - Elimination
Excreted through kidneys –> urine
Name the three types of fibers affected by Local Anesthetics
A-delta, C, A-alpha
Describe A-delta fibers
Small, myelinated fibers (sympathetic/pain) Fast
Describe C fibers
Unmyelinated fibers (pain) Slowest
Describe A-alpha fibers
Large, myelinated fibers (motor)
Small, myelinated fibers
A- delta
Unmyelinated fibers
C fibers
Large, myelinated fibers
A-alpha
In what order are fibers affected by local anesthetics (by type)
A-gamma > C > A-alpha
Local Anesthetics - Differential block
Pain & sympathetic transmission is blocked before motor transmission
Local Anesthetics - Differential block benefit
Use low enough concentration for one particular area (think epidural) may block pain without affecting much motor transmission
Local Anesthetics - Frequency-dependent block
Rapidly-firing nerves preferentially blocked
Which fibers are preferentially blocked in a frequency-dependent block with local anesthetics? What effects can this have?
Nerve fibers carrying pain signals - Antiarrhythmic - Anticonvulsant
Local Anesthetics - Clinical pharmacology - Effect of Dose
Dose increaed by increasing volume &/or concentration
What happens when you increase the dose of local anesthetics?
Larger dose = more rapid onset of action & longer duration (sometimes)
Local Anesthetics - How can the potency be increased?
Potency increases by increasing lipid & water solubility (more potent LA, more myocardium depression)
What does increasing lipophilicity do?
Increases penetration into cell –> increases binding with Na+ channels
What does increasing hydrophilicity do?
Increases diffusion to the site of action
Local Anesthetics - Onset of action variables
Depends on placement of drug, concentration, molecule size, lipophilicity, protein binding, degree of ionization of drug
How does pKa affect Local Anesthetics onset of action?
Lower the pKa, more unionized drug to penetrate into the axon