Pharm- 15 Flashcards
What causes focal seizures to be focal?
Focal seizure, or partial seizure, is named for the focal nature (surprise) of where the brain is affected. Surround inhibition (same principle as eye inhibition) keeps the seizure location localized to one spot
How does focal seizures increase in strength to cause generalized seizurres?
GABA inhibition isnt strong enough
What i the key feature to distinguish focal seizures from generalized seizures?
The pt retains consciousness
What are the Sx to focal szrs in the frontal lobe?
a wave-like sensation in the head; in the temporal lobe, a feeling of déjà vu (glitch in the matrix)
What happens in a complex focal szr?
szr starts in 1 part –> spreads –> Sx’s spread accordingly.
What happens in secondary generalized szrs?
this type of seizure is bilateral due to spreading across the connections of the brain to the opposite hemisphere
What are the classical Sx of secondary generalized szrs?
loss of consciousness, and a tonic-clonic contraction of the body
What are the classical Sx of tonic-clonic (grand mal) szrs?
Loss of consciousness, and also as you would expect, intense contraction of both antagonist and agonist muscle groups.
What happens with the NMDA and AMPA receptors in the tonic phase?
They go super crazy
What happens to the AMPA and GABA receptors during the clonic phase?
They cycle back and forth,thats why u get jerky and spazzy
Where do absence szrs occur inth brain?
originate in a central location, and spreads to both hemispheres
What is the classical Sx of absence szrs?
characterized by a brief loss of consciousness
What is the mechanism to cause absence szrs?
T-type calcium channels, which are responsible for slow-wave sleep, so if they are activated, you just fall asleep right where you are. Somehow these calcium channels get activated inappropriately, leading to temporary loss of consciousness.
What are the 4 main mechanisms of anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) to help wiht the Sx of szrs?
Drugs that increase Na+ channel inhibition
Drugs that inhibit calcium channels
Drugs that increase GABA mediated inhibition
Drugs that inhibit glutamate receptors
What is the mechanism to treat focal and general seizures?
treated via Na+ channel inactivation to stop channels, specifically channels that are cycling through open/closed states very quickly
What are the 4 drugs to treat local and secondary generalized seizures, which act on Na+ channels?
Phenytoin, Carbamazepine, Lamotrigine, and Valproic Acid
VPLC
What is the “use-dependent” mechanism of Phenytoin to treat szrs?
channels that are opened and closed at a high frequency, making them useless for slow, cyclical seizures such as Absence Seizures.
What % of phenytoin is bound to albumin in the blood?
95% bound to albumin
How is phenytoin metabolized in the body?
metabolized by the p450 hepatic system, and is an inducer of the p450 system (increases metabolism of fellow drugs metabolized by p450)