Opioid analgesics lecture part 1 Flashcards
Who was the first individual to hypothesize that perception of pain comes from the brain instead of the heart as previously believed?
Renee de Clarks with his drawing of Treatsy of Man
In general, where are opioid receptors located?
Centrally (brain & spinal cord)
can be located in periphery but not primary location!
What happens to pain receptors in patients with chronic pain?
pain receptors can be located peripherally at the site of pain and pain can be initiated anywhere along the pathway thus opioids are not best drugs for chronic pain
Why wouldn’t we inject an opioid at the surgical site?
there’s nowhere for the opioid to work on because our opioid receptors are not located there
What substances are released that send a pain signal when we have destruction of cells?
Substance P, calcitonin gene related peptide, serotonin, histamines; these cause neuroelectrical stimulation which create a nerve impulse
Why do we have endogenous pain modulation?
It is a survival benefit
Describe the transmission of pain/ pain pathway
we have injury to the phospholipid bilayer and substances are released (substance P, calcitonin gene related peptide, serotonin, & histamines)–> these substances create a nerve impulse along first order neuron–> synapse in the spinal cord at second order neuron in the dorsal root ganglion–> transmission to midbrain (3rd order neuron)–> brain sends signal to part of brain that is experiencing the pain via the 4th order neuron
Additionally have spinal reflex arc
What substances does the body release to modulate pain?
Endorphins, enkephalins, dynorphins, norepinephrine
What are the distinct classes of opium?
Phenanthrenes (morphine, codeine, & thebaine)
Benzlisoquinolines (papaverine, noscapine)
What is the role of opioid agonists (and what do they not do)?
Produce analgesia! analgesia is the lack of perception of pain
They do not produce loss of touch, loss of proprioception, or loss of consciousness (in appropriate dosages)
Semi-synthesized opioids are:
Modifications to the morphine molecule which result in heroin
What are naturally occurring opiates?
morphine & codeine
What is a synthetic opioid?
Not modified from a naturally occurring drug; created in a lab
-they do contain a phenanthrene nucleus but they are created rather than modified
What are the most common synthetic opioids?
Methadone (recent resurgence due to prolonged half-life) and phenylpiperidine- meperidine, fentanyl, sufentanil, alfentanil, and remifentanil
Where are our pain fibers located?
Rexed lamina 1, 2, and sometimes 5 in the dorsal horn
What is the mechanism of action for opioids?
Opioid receptors are G-protein-coupled receptors
Their principle effect is to decrease
neurotransmission
Mimic the actions of endogenous ligands- such as
enkephalins, endorphins, dynorphins, and
norepinephrine
Where do endogenous substances work to prevent pain?
They were pre-synaptically to inhibit release of acetylcholine, dopamine, norepinephrine, and substance P
they include: enkephalins, dynorphins, and endorphins
Where do exogenous substances work to modulate pain?
Endogenous substances work postsynaptically by attaching to GCPRs in which the second messenger causes increased K+ conductance and decreased function
What is another site of action for opioids?
NMDA receptors
In regards to their mechanism of action, opioids do not…
block nerve impulses (only way to do this is with LA)
alter responsiveness of afferent nerve endings to noxious stimulation
Where specifically in the brain are opioid receptors found?
periaqueductal gray- recognizes pain and tells body to limit it endogenously
locus coeruleus- related to alertness (dex also acts on this)
rostral ventral medulla
Where specifically in the spinal cord are opioid receptors found?
Primary afferent and interneurons of the dorsal horn
target rexed lamina 1, 2, and 5
What are the names of the opioid receptors?
Kappa, Sigma, Mu, & Delta
What do the Mu1 receptors cause?
BEAMU
Bradycardia, euphoria, analgesia (spinal & supraspinal), miosis, and urinary retention
What do the Mu2 receptors cause?
ALL THE BAD THINGS… ventilatory depression, physical dependence, constipation, analgesia (spinal)
What do the Kappa receptors cause?
activation results in the inhibition of neurotransmitter release
analgesia (supraspinal & spinal), dysphoria, sedation,
miosis, diuresis, lesser extent (hypoventilation & high-
intensity pain), agonist-antagonist often act principally
on K receptors (low abuse potential)
If we wanted to give an opioid that resulted in the least amount of respiratory depression and was less likely to cause urinary retention, what receptor would this opioid be acting on?
Kappa receptors…. kappa receptors also cause the least amount of pain control
Why don’t Kappa receptors have full efficacy when modulating pain?
Because they are agonist-antagonists
What do the Delta receptors cause?
it’s your typical opioid: physical dependence, reduced ventilation, constipation, analgesia (supraspinal & spinal) & urinary retention
Delta receptors respond to endogenous ligands known as enkephalins & they may also serve to modulate Mu receptor activity
What opioids are not metabolized in the liver?
All of them except remifentanil are metabolized in the liver
Opioids are primarily excreted ______
by the kidneys
Small dose effects of opioids are terminated by ____ whereas effects of multiple doses and infusions are terminated by ____
redistribution; metabolism
Pharmacogenetics
we have genetic variation in each one of us which determines our responsiveness to opioids
What are common CV side effects of opioids?
-In healthy patients, bradycardia w/ sustained BP
-Impairment of SNS response (orthostatic hypotension)… venous pooling & histamine release
-Does not sensitize the heart to catecholamines
does not affect hearts ability to be affected by
endogenous substances
Opioids are _____ with these drugs____ to cause myocardial effects
synergistic; with benzodiazepines & nitrous oxide
What is a positive CV side effect of opioids?
Sigma & Kappa receptors produce a cardiac protectant effect by enhancing myocardial resistance to oxidative and ischemic stresses
How do opioids affect the oxyhemoglobin curve?
They shift the curve to the right by making us less responsive to changes in CO2
Opioids act on Mu and Delta receptors in the brainstem…
to produce a dose-dependent depression of ventilation