Opioids Flashcards
why might a patient start to wake up under general anesthetic alone? How can we prevent this?
-General anesthetics produce unconsciousness but do not inhibit pain signal generation or propagation
-Patients do not feel mildly painful surgical manipulations because the small numbers of pain signals, which are transmitted to the Reticular Activating System (RAS) in the medulla, are insufficient to awaken the patient
-If surgical manipulations produce large numbers of pain signals, the RAS may be stimulated to the point where the anesthetized patient begins to awaken
-We can prevent this by administering an analgesic beforehand
Opioid drugs are used for:
1) Analgesia
2) Sedation
3) Cough suppression (Antitussive)
4) Treatment of diarrhea (Constipation is a major side effect of the opioids)
3 opioid receptor families that mediate analgesia:
- Mu (μ; MOR)
- Delta (δ; DOR)
- Kappa (κ; KOR)
opioid receptor type that produces dysphoria
Sigma (σ)
Opioid mechanism of action: mechanism of analgesic effects
Opioids stimulate opioid receptors in pain pathways
Pain afferent (from periphery)
-Pre-synaptic Mu, Delta, Kappa opioid receptors inhibit Ca2+ entry, which inhibits NT release
Spinal pain neuron
-Post-synaptic Mu opioid receptors open K+ channels, which causes hyperpolarization > inhibits action potentials
Effects of opioid receptor stimulation: MOR, DOR, KOR
MOR:
* Analgesia
-Full stimulation causes intense analgesic effect
* Euphoria (> dependence)
* Miosis or mydriasis
* Resp. depression (> less sensitive to CO2)
DOR:
-analgesia, similar to MOR
KOR:
* Analgesia (moderate effect, and primarily visceral)
Sigma R stimulation effects:
- Dysphoria: intense feeling of unease or even terror
- Resp. & vasomotor stimulation
- Stimulated by opioids in some patients, and by some non-opioids (e.g., ketamine)
full agonist vs partial agonist opioid
Opioids can stimulate opioid receptors:
maximally > called a “full agonist” or
weakly > called a “partial agonist”
what is a mixed agonist/antagonist opioid
Some opioids are agonists at some opioid receptors and antagonists at others
why are partial agonist opioids sometimes called “partial agonist/antagonists”
Because they can competitively block the action of full agonists
Describe the mechanistic interaction of fentanyl (full mu agonist) with butorphanol (kappa agonist which also weakly stimulates mu receptors)
Fentanyl alone: intense analgesic effect, binds to MOR
Butorphanol alone: binds to KOR for a moderate analgesic effect, and binds to MOR for a weak analgesic effect
Together: butorphanol binds KOR for a moderate analgesic effect. Some MOR are weakly stimulated by butorphanol, and others are maximally stimulated by fentanyl.
=> Overall analgesic effect will be less than fentanyl alone
Morphine works on what receptor, with what interaction? Primary effect?
Mu agonist, analgesia
Codeine works on what receptor, with what interaction? Primary effect?
Mu agonist, analgesia (poor)
Hydromorphone works on what receptor, with what interaction? Primary effect?
Mu agonist, analgesia
Meperidine works on what receptor, with what interaction? Primary effect?
Mu agonist, analgesia