neuro pharmacology Flashcards
. Cholinergic Pharmacology: Atropine
What is the MOA of atropine?
● A competitive, reversible muscarinic ACh receptor antagonist
● Anticholinergic activity
● Equipotent at M1, M2, M3 receptors. Minimal effects at nicotinic receptors
Describe the pharmacokinetics of atropine
● Administration: IV, oral, topical, nebulized/inhaled
● Distribution: wide Vd including into the CNS
● Metabolism & excretion: Half life of 2 hours, 60% is excreted unchanged via the
kidneys. 40% undergoes phase I and phase II metabolism and is then renally
excreted
Describe the organ effects of atropine
● Eye - mydriasis and cycloplegia
● CNS - delirium, decreased tremor in parlinsons
● CVS - tachycardia (dose dependent, some small doses can cause initial
bradycardia)
● Resp - bronchodilation and decreased secretions
● GIT - decreased saliva, decreased gastric acid secretion, decreased mucin
production, delayed gastric emptying, decreased gut motility and resulting
increased transit time
● Urinary - relaxes ureteric and bladder wall smooth muscle, urine retention
● Skin - decreased sweating
What is atropine used for clinically?
● Treatment of symptomatic bradycardia or other bradyarrhythmias - especially if
vagally mediated,
● Used in ophthalmology for inducing mydriasis
● Occasionally used as an adjunct in RSI for paediatrics
● Drying of secretions in cholinergic exposure or in palliative care
● Travellers diarrhoea
Describe the effects of atropine poisoning.
● Agitation and delirium (Mad as a hatter)
● Raised temp (hot as Hades)
● Blurred vision/mydriasis (Blind as a bat)
● Flushed skin (red as a beet)
● Dry mouth (Dry as a bone)
● Tachycardia
A 40 yr old man develops a dystonic reaction following a metoclopramide
injection. How does metoclopramide cause this dystonic reaction?
Metoclopramide is a dopamine antagonist and causes an imbalance in the
anticholinergic/dopamine transmission in the basal ganglia
You treat this dystonic reaction with benztropine. What is the mechanism of
action?
Benztropine is a centrally acting antimuscarinic agent.
Blocks the muscarinic cholinergic receptors, to reduce the imbalance in the signalling
that causes the dystonic reaction
Indirectly acting cholinomimetics (Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors)
What is the MOA of indirectly acting cholinomimetics
● These inhibit the acetylcholinesterase enzyme thereby increasing the
concentration of ACh in the vicinity of cholinoreceptors.
● Action on both nicotinic and muscarinic receptors.
What types of agents are there of Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors)
● Reversible - neostigmine, physostigmine, pyridostigmine
● Irreversible - organophosphates and insecticides
What are the cardiovascular effects of these drugs?
● Both sympathetic and parasympathetic ganglia can be activated
● Parasympathetic effects generally predominate - bradycardia, decreased CO,
decreased contractility and no major change in BP
● Overdose may cause a tachycardia and hypotension
Adrenergic Pharmacology: Adrenaline
Your patient has an allergic reaction that requires adrenaline
Describe the pharmacokinetics of adrenaline
● Administration: IM, IV, subcut, nebulised. Poor oral absorption.
● Distribution: Crosses the placenta but does not cross blood brain barrier. 50%
protein bound. Onset of action in seconds, duration of 2 mins.
● Metabolism: terminated by metabolism in sympathetic nerve terminals by COMT
and MAO. Circulating adrenaline metabolised by COMT.
● Elimination: metabolites excreted in the urine.
What are the pharmacodynamic effects of adrenaline?
Equal effects at alpha and beta receptors
● Alpha = vasoconstriction
● B1= positive inotropic and chronotropic effects
● B2= smooth muscle relaxation in airways and skeletal muscle
Describe the effects of adrenaline on other organs besides the heart
● Respiratory - bronchodilation
● Eyes - pupil dilation, decreased IOP and production of aqueous humour
● Gastric smooth muscle - relaxation
● Genitourinary - bladder smooth muscle relaxation
● Liver - enhanced glycolysis
● Increased production of sweat at apocrine glands
What are some undesired complications of an adrenaline infusion?
● General - anxiety, tremor, nausea, pallor, vomiting
● Heart and circulation - palpitations and arrhythmias, myocardial ischaemia, HTN
● Metabolic - hyperglycaemia, lactic acidosis, hypokalemia
Your patient is hypotensive. A noradrenaline infusion is commenced.
What receptors does noradrenaline act on?
● Predominantly alpha 1 → vascular smooth muscle constriction
● Also some alpha 2 activity (presynaptic) which exerts negative feedback on
noradrenaline release
● There is some effect on beta 1 and 2
How does noradrenaline increase the blood pressure?
● Increase is in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure
● Alpha 1 activity → vasoconstriction → increased total peripheral resistance →
increased diastolic blood pressure
● Beta 1 activity → increased myocardial contractility → increased systolic BP
How does norad affect the heart rate?
● Beta 1 activity causes an increased heart rate.
● However, the compensatory baroreceptor reflex causes a decrease in HR.
● Overall, there is a minimal change in HR
You are treating a patient with neurogenic shock and decide to use metaraminol.
What is the MOA of metaraminol?
Direct alpha 1 agonist - though there is some indirect effect via increased noradrenaline
release
What are its effects on the cardiovascular system of metaraminol?
● Vaso and arterio constriction in vascular beds
● Arterioconstriction causes an increase in BP
● Direct cardiac effects are less important
● HR slows due to vagal feedback
● CO is mostly unchanged
What role do sympathomimetics play in the management of shock?
Temporising measures only, used whilst other treatments are instituted i.e. antibiotics,
fluid replacement
Useful in conditions where there is ‘failure’ of the sympathetic NS i.e. in a spinal injury or
in anaesthesia
What classes of local anaesthetic are used in ED?
● Aminoamides -(two i’s) Lignocaine, bupivicaine, prilocaine.
● Aminoesters - (single i) Procaine, Benzocaine, Tetracaine
Describe the mechanism of action of lignocaine
● Sodium channel blocker.
● Class 1B antiarrhythmic.
● Local anaesthetic.
● Blocks voltage gated sodium channels without altering the resting membrane
potential.
What is the maximum safe dose of lignocaine for local anaesthesia?
● Without adrenaline 3mg/kg
● With adrenaline 7mg/kg
What factors affect absorption of lignocaine after local infiltration?
● Dose
● Site of injection
● Drug-tissue binding
● Blood flow through the tissue
● Use of adrenaline
What are the toxic effects of lignocaine?
● CNS
○ Early: perioral or tongue numbness, metallic taste
○ Moderate: nystagmus, tinnitus, muscle twitching, nausea, vomiting
○ Severe: seizures, sedation
● CVS
○ Arrhythmias i.e. bradycardia, conduction blocks
○ Hypotension
○ Worsening of CCF
○ Cardiovascular collapse
● GIT
○ Vomiting, anorexia, nausea
● Haem:
○ Methaemoglobinaemia (most often associated with prilocaine)
● Allergy
○ Rare but not impossible
Explain the solubility characteristics of nitrous oxide
● Low solubility in the blood so reaches arterial tension rapidly.
● Rapid equilibrium in the brain and fast onset of action and fast recovery
What is the MOA of nitrous?
Multiple actions
● Modulates GABA-A receptors
● Increases dynorphin release
● NMDA agonist
What are the organ effects of nitrous oxide?
● CNS: analgesia, amnesia, increased cerebral blood flow
● Renal: decreased GFR, increased renal vascular resistance
● CVS: dose dependent myocardial depression
● Resp: reduced response to carbon dioxide ad hypoxia
● GI: Nausea and vomiting
Please describe the pharmacokinetics of propofol
● Administration: IV only - as a bolus or an infusion
● Distribution: Rapid onset and recovery is driven by redistribution of the drug from
the brain to other areas. Distribution half life is 2-4 minutes, elimination half life up
to 25 mins,
● Metabolism: rapidly metabolised in the liver.
● Elimination: Excreted in the urine as inactive metabolites.
What are the indications for propofol?
Induction agent, maintenance of anaesthesia, procedural sedation.
What properties of propofol make it suitable for procedural sedation?
Rapid onset and offset
What is the usual induction dose of propofol?
1-2.5mg/kg in adults, 2.5- 3.5mg/kg in kids
What are the clinical effects of propofol?
● Anaesthesia/sedation (no analgesia)
● Transient apnoea
● Decreased blood pressure
● Anti-emetic properties
What are the adverse effects of propofol?
Related to the system effects
● Hypotension from vaso and veno dilation and the negative inotropic effect
● Apnoea - dose related central depression of respiratory drive
● Pain on injection
● Allergy/anaphylaxis
● Propofol infusion syndrome (a metabolic acidosis)
How can these adverse effects be minimised for propofol
● Titration of small doses
● Not using opiates or benzos concurrently
● Using an IV fluid bolus
● Reduce dose in elderly or those with poor cardiovascular reserve
. Ketamine
Describe the pharmacodynamics of ketamine
● NMDA receptor antagonist
● Inhibits reuptake of catecholamines and serotonin
● Potent short acting sedative, amnestic, analgesic and anaesthetic agent