Pharmacology Flashcards
How might dysrhythmias occurs?
Automaticity- ectopic pacemakers
Re-entry- damage to muscle could result in unidirectional conduction
Accessory pathway re-entry- bridges between atrial and ventricles other than the AV node
Transient depolarisations during repolarisation resulting in AP outside of the SA node control
Dysfunctional AV node- uncouples ventricles from atria and increases time from P to QRS and stops some QRS
Describe class 1 antiarhythmic drugs
Lignocaine, flecainide, lidocaine
Voltage-gated Na channel blockers
Describe class 2 antiarhythmic drugs
Beta blockers
Propranolol
Decreases sympathetic effects in the heart
Decreases the slope of the pacemaker potential
Describe class 3 antiarhythmic drugs
Amiodarone (Ca), sotalol (beta blocker function)
Prolongs the cardiac action potential
Via K channel block?
Describe class 4 antiarhythmic drugs
Verapamil, diltiazem
L type Ca channel blockers
Describe adenosine as an antiarhythmic drug
Non-classified
Receptors in SA/AV- K channels open and Ca channels close to delay pacemaker potential
Describe digoxin as an antiarhythmic
Cardiac glycosides
Increases vagal activity to the heart, decreases AV conduction rate and ventricular rate
What is dysrhythmias?
Disorders of rate or rhythm of the heart
Can be atrial, junctional or ventricular
Tachycardia or bradycardia
What are inotropic drugs?
Increase or decrease contractility of the heart muscle
+he inotropic drugs increase intracellular Ca to increase contractility and therefore cardiac output
Describe cardiac glycosides
Eg. Digoxin
Partial inhibition of Na/K ATPase
Loss of the Na conc grad so the Na/Ca antiporter cannot work and Ca is no longer transported out of the cell
Side effects:
Increase the resting membrane potential, increases excitability and can lead to dysrhythmias
GIT, neurological disturbances, gynecomastia
Low therapeutic index
Used in CHF (and dysrhythmias)
Affected by diuretics- hypokalaemia- less competition for Na/K ATPase
Toxicity treyted with increase K, and antibodies
Describe sympathomimetic inotropes
Beta receptor agonist
Mixed beta1&2- isoprenaline
Beta1- dobutamine
Increase intracellular cAMP to open Ca channels
Used in emergencies
Has short half-life and problems with desensitisation
Describe phosphodiesterase inhibitors
Stops cAMP breakdown Eg. Milrinone, enoximone PDE type 3 heart specific No desensitisation Increases excitability Used in emergencies only Has short half-life
Desceoibe the concept of cellular homoeostasis in drug desensitisation
Increased stimulation leads to decreased responsiveness and vice versa
Occurs in response to drugs, agonist or antagonists but also to physiological and pathological changes- denervation and chronic heart failure
Describe the mechanisms of drug induced desensitisation
Pharmacokinetic changes- eg. Barbiturates: induce cytochrome p450 and markedly increase elimination so addicts can take many times the normal lethal dose
Receptor changes- rapid and reversible inactivation eg. Suxamethonium produces depolarising block and beta-adrenoceptors uncouple from G protein
Or changes in receptor number eg. Theophylline leads to upregulation of A1/A2 receptors in the brain
Post-receptor changes- eg. Amphetamines depletes NA/DA levels in nerve terminals, or changed in signalling molecules, adaptive reflexes eg. Baroreceptor response to antihypertensive drugs
What is the difference between homologous and heterologous desensitisation?
Homologous- loss of responsiveness only to the desentising agent or agents acting at the same receptor
Heterologous- loss of responsiveness to agents that do not act at the same site as the desentising agent
Describe short term beta2 receptor desentitisation
2-20min exposure too agonist
Uncoupling from GS
Loss of response with no change in channel number due to phosphorylation of the receptor reversed by phosphatases
Describe long term beta2 receptor desensitisation
Hours of exposure to agonist
Receptor down regulation- receptor internalisation and lysosomal breakdown and decreased transcription
Reversed slowly
Does desensitisation occur during the use of beta2 agonist in asthma?
Sporadic use- none decernable
Moderate use- decreases side effects, decreased beta2 receptors okn lymphocytes but no change in bronchodilator response? Spare receptors?
Abuse- decreased bronchodilator response associated with increased mortality
Treatment with a short course of high dose steroids or a drug holiday
Describe drug dependence?
Usually occurs over days or weeks
Usually requires a drug that gives a reward
Leads to tolerance and dependence
Via: change in central reward pathways (mesolimbic, dopaminergic)
Same receptor changes seen in desensitisation
Psychological dependence
Characterized by withdrawal with adverse physiological effects over days and weeks
Treated by alleviating symptoms eg. Benzodiazepines for alcohol withdrawal
Long-term substitution eg. Method one for heroin
Blocking response eg. Immunization for cocaine
Averse therapies eg. Disulfiram for alcohol
Reducing craving eg. Bupropion to reduce tobacco use
Describe lipid transport
Via lipoproteins
Non-polar core of cholesterol esters and/or triglycerides
Polar coat of apoproteins
Chylomicrons, VLDL, LDL, HDL
Can be transported endogenously or exogenously
Describe atherosclerosis
Atheromas in large and medium arteries AMD underlies the commonest cause of death
Evolves over decades
-endothelial dysfunction (⬇NO)
-injury (adhesion molecules)
-LDLs accumulate AMD get oxidised by monocytes/macrophages)
-ox LDL taken up by macrophages form foam cells
-foam cells AMD lymphocytes lead to fatty streaks
-macrophages, platelets and endothelial cells release growth factors and cytokines
-proliferation of smooth muscle and connective tissue lead to a fibrous cap overflying the lipid core
-this atheromatous plaque can rupture leading to thrombosis
Describe the exogenous lipid pathway
Lipid emulsified by bile acids in the GIT
Absorbed as chylomicrons (more triglycerides than cholesterol esters)
Triglycerides hydrolysed by lipoprotein lipase associated with the endothelial cells in the liver
The chylomicron remnants (more cholesterol esters than triglycerides) go to liver amd are recycled as bile acids)
Describe the endogenous lipid pathway
Hepatic Cholesterol and triglycerides synthesised in the liver (+cholesterol from the exogenous pathway)
VLDL secreted (CE+TG)
TG removed to give LDL (CE)
Extra-hepatic- reverse cholesterol transport
C from dead cells and plaques form HDL
CE from HDL given to LDL and is sent to the liver
More HDL promotes LDL removal
Describe LDLs
60-70% of circulating cholesterol- used ikn membranes, steroids amd bile acids
Normal lipid- C=
Describe hyperlipidaemia
Primary (genetic)- 6 phenotypes depending on the lipoprotein affected
2a- increase LDL
2b- increase LDL and VLDL
Increase risk of atherosclerosis as LDL contains a protwi. So I!as to plasminogen which leads to competition and decreased plasmin so more thrombosis
Secondary- due to metabolic disorders eg. Diabetes, hypothyroidism, renal disease, alcoholism
Describe the use of HMG CoA reductase inhibitors
Statins- pravastatin, simvastatin
Potent competitive inhibitors to decrease cholesterol synthesis in the liver
Leads to increased transcription of enzyme and receptor which means that there is a partial increase in cholesterol synthesis and increased receptor leads to decreased plasma cholesterol amd decreased heart disease
Used if lipid conc is normal
Se- myositis, hepatitis, contraindicated in pregnancy (germ cell migration)