Musuloskeletal medications Flashcards
Musculoskeletal system - common disorders:
- injury and trauma
- osteoarthritis
- rheumatoid arthritis
- gout
- tendinitis
4 major drug types for musculoskeletal disorders:
- Anti-inflammatory and analgesic medications
- Muscle relaxants
- Anti-arthritis medications
- Anti-gout medications
Examples of Anti-inflammatory and analgesic medications:
- aspirin
- ibuprofen 40
- Celebrex
- paracetamol
Muscle relaxants action:
- inhibits contraction in skeletal muscle - limit transmission or movement of impulses in motor pathway or causes skeletal muscles to shorten
- reduces muscle tone and involuntary movement without loss of controlled muscle function
- mild sedation, reduction of anxiety, pain perception
Muscle relaxants uses:
- used to relieve pain in musculoskeletal and neurologic disorders
such as - arthritis, low back pain, cerebral palsy, multiply sclerosis, muscle strain/sprain - used following trauma from motor vehicles and sporting accidents
- used prior to surgery
Adverse reactions of muscle relaxants:
- flushing
- hypotension
- light headedness and fainting
- poor coordination, blurred vision, confusion
- headaches
- insomnia
- GI problems -
Central acting muscle relaxants:
- exact mechanism of action is unknown
- do not relax skeletal muscles directly
- relaxation of skeletal muscles related to sedative effects
Examples - Diazepam - Baclofen - spinal cord muscle relaxant
- less sedative effects than diazepam
- decreases muscle spasm and associated pain
Direct acting muscle relaxants:
- relief symptoms of spasticity (spinal cord injuries)
- protein binding - high
- metabolises in liver
- therapeutic effect may take 4-6 weeks
Example - Dantrolene
Patient education - do not stop taking suddenly
- avoid doing tasks requiring alertness (e.g. driving)
- avoid other medications that depress CNS functions
2 common forms of Arthritis:
Rheumatoid arthritis:
- systemic disease involving autoimmune response
- body does not recognise its own tissues
- body destroys the joints
Osteoarthritis:
- localised joint destruction
- weight bearing joints (hips and knees)
- joints under stress (hands and feet)
- joints wear out
Symptoms of arthritis:
- swelling
- pain
- stiffness
- degeneration and destruction of joint with deformities and immobility (rheumatoid arthritis)
Disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDS)
- anti-arthritis medication
- used to treat significant cases of rheumatoid arthritis
- reduces pain, swelling and inflammation but cannot cure the arthritic process
Examples - Hydroxychloroquine sulfate
- Methotrexate
Hydroxychloroquine sulfate:
- action not understood
- anti-malarial drug that stops formation of antigens
- significant risks and toxic effects - patient needs regular evaluation
- 4-12 weeks before improvement of symptoms
Methotrexate (Methoblastin):
- Antineoplastic medication
- Mechanism in rheumatoid arthritis unknown
- reduces joint swelling and tenderness in 3-6 weeks
- used in severe conditions not responding to other treatment
Anti-arthritis medications - Immunomodulators
- used for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and other arthritis-type diseases
- reduces disease progression as well as improving pain and inflammation
Anti-Gout medications:
- gout is a form of arthritis and caused by hyperuricaemia - high levels of uric acid
- affects mainly men, onset during middle age
- attacks of acute pain, swelling and tenderness in joints such as big toe, ankle, knee
