Opiate Analgesics Flashcards
General therapeutic strategies for chronic pain:
1) relief of pain
2) Delay or arrest of disease process
What is prototype opioid drug?
morphine
What level of pain are opioids used to treat?
moderate to severe pain
Opioids historically used for:
euphoria analgesia sedation relief from diarrhea cough suppresion
opium definition -
- greek for “juice”
- the exudate from poppy seeds containing 20 bilogically acting components including morphine and codeine
Opiate definition -
drug extracted from the exudate of the poppy
opioid definition:
natural or synthetic drug that binds to opioid receptors producing its agonist effects
narcotic definition:
term used to characterize pharmacological compounds used to treat moderate to severe pain
Only two natural opioids that come directly from poppy?
morphine and codein
endogenous opioids?
endorphins
enkephalins
dynorphins
All other non-natural opioids are prepared from?
- morphine
- other precursor compounds
Three endogenous opioid receptors:
1) Mu -two types: Mu1 & Mu2
2) Kappa (k)
a) supraspinal and spinal analgesia
b) little or no respiratory depression
c) little or no dependence
d) dysphoric and general psychomimetic effects
3) Delta-
a) modest supraspinal and spinal analgesia
b) little addictive potential
c) modulation of hormone and neurotransmitter release
d) may regulate Mu receptor activity
**Two types of Mu receptors and effects:
a) Mu1-outside spinal cord= responsible for central interpretation of pain - supraspinal analgesia
b) Mu2-located throughout CNS-brainstem and spinal cord=responsible for supraspinal and spinal analgesia, respiratory depression, constipation, physical dependence and euphoria
general pharmacokinetics for all opioids:
ABSORPTION
- well absorption from GI tract
- first pass effect (morphine)
- low oral bioavailability (low oral:parenteral ratio)
general pharmacokinetics for all opioids:
METABOLISM
- hepatic - primary process- glucuronidation
- *-Morphine –> morphine-6-glucuronide (M6G = even more active than morphine!); M3G
- heroin and codein both metabolized to morphine
general pharmacokinetics for all opioids:
LATENCY TO ONSET
- transdermal >12hr
- oral 15-30 min
- intranasal 2-3min
- intravenous 15-30 sec
- pulmonary inhalation 6-12 sec
What is morphine 6 glucuronide?
metabolite of morphine = even more active than morpine
MOA for opioids?
hit Mu receptors
What kind of receptor is Mu?
Gi/Go coupled
MOA at the receptor level:
Mu receptor - Gi/Go coupled
1) inhibition of adenylyl cyclase = dec production of cAMP
2) reduced opening of presynaptic voltage gated Ca channels =in **loss of intracellular Ca and dec release of neurotransmitters
3) Inc postsynaptic opening of K channels = loss of intracellular K and neuronal hyperpolarization (less firing)
Mechanism of analgesia - ascending pain paths:
1) inh of afferent pain transmission-block pain impulse from the periphery to the brain
2) peripheral effects-activate opioid receptors on distal ends of primary afferent (sensory) neurons decreasing their activation and excitability
3) Dorsal horn of the spinal cord-
a) presynaptic=opioids block release of pain mediating neurotransmitters from primary afferent neurons via inhibition of Ca channels=reduction in incoming pain signaling
b) postsynaptic=opioids inhibit activation of 2nd afferent neurons via inc K conductance that leads to hyperpolarization
c) activate GABA (inhibitory) neurons in the spinal cord leading to reduced activation of teh secondary afferent neurons
**Mechanisms of analgesia- descending pain paths
-Opioisd block inhibitory GABAergic interneurons (disinhibition) = enhanced inhibition of nociceptive processing in the spinal cord and overall pain relief
Descending pathways regulate/lower our pain subconsciously!
Site of action of opioids:
1) periaqueductal gray area - midbrain-activates enkephalin releasing neurons that projects to the raphe nuclei in the brainstem
2) Rostral ventral medulla -brainstem-nuceus raphe magnus; serotonergic projections to the dorsal horn of the spinal cord
3) Locus ceoruleus-pons in brainstem-noradrenergic projections to the dorsal horn of the spinal cord
General pharmacological effects of opioids: ANALGESIA
**-reduce both sensory and affective aspects of pain
both spinal and supraspinal (u,k,delta) sites
General pharmacological effects of opioids: EUPHORIA
- *-pleasant floating sensation with reduced anxiety and distress
- more common in abuse situations
General pharmacological effects of opioids: SEDATION
- -drowsiness and lethargy, cognitive impairment and sense of tranquility
- more prominent effect in elderly
General pharmacological effects of opioids: RESPIRATORY DEPRESSION
-**inh of brainstem respiratory mechanism (less sensitivity to pCO2 tension
General pharmacological effects of opioids: MIOSIS
*-constriction of pupis (pin point pupils)
Do not use opioids with what presenting patient condition
head trauma-bc inc cerebral vasodilation due to increased pCO2 since body is not sensitive to pCO2 tension anymore with drug
General pharmacological effects of opioids: COUGH SUPPRESSION:
- suppression of cough center
* -action is predominantly via the brainstem chemoreceptor trigger zone