PHARMACOLOGY-Opioids & non-opioid analgesics Flashcards
What 4 types of injury do nociceptors respond to
Mechanical
Chemical
Electrical
Thermal
List the nerve types that perceive pain
Free nerve endings Merkel's disks Ruffini endings Meissner's corpuscles Pacinian corpuscles
Where are nociceptors located
Skin
Muscle
Connective tissue
Viscera
Define transduction
When a noxious stimulus is turned into an action potential
What mediators illicit transduction
Substance P PGs Serotonin Acetylcholine Histamine Glutamate Adenosine H+
How does a local inflammatory response affect pain perception
It causes peripheral sensitization which decreases threshold for pain stimulus and increases the frequency and rate of depolarization of nociceptors
How does a local inflammatory response affect pain perception
It causes peripheral sensitization which decreases threshold for pain stimulus and increases the frequency and rate of depolarization of nociceptors
What types of peripheral nerve fibers transmit are associated with the following
- Free nerve endings
- Specialized receptors
Free nerve endings = C fibers
Specialized receptors = A-delta fibers
What are 2 excitatory neurotransmitters in the dorsal horn
Glutamate
Substance P
How is pain in the face transmitted
The trigeminal nerve (CN V) bypasses the spinal cord conducting brain stimuli directly to the brain
What are the 4 steps of pain pathway
- Transduction
- Transmission
- Modulation
- Perception
What type of pain is transduced via A-Delta fibers
Fast pain that is sharp
Well-localized pain
Specialized receptors
What type of pain is transduced via C-fibers
Slow pain that is dull
Poorly localized pain
Free nerve endings
Define allodynia
Reduced threshold of pain stimulus
Define hyperalgesia
Increased response to pain stimulus
Name 5 drug classes that target pain during transduction
- NSAIDs
- Local anesthetic creams
- Steroids
- Antihistamines
- Opioids
Define transmission
The action potential that is relayed through the 3-neuron afferent pain pathway
How is pain transmission relayed
Via the spinothalamic tract:
First-order neuron = periphery to dorsal horn
Second-order neuron = dorsal horn to thalamus
Third-order neuron = thalamus to cerebral cortex
Which drug class targets pain during transmission
Local anesthetics
Define pain modulation
The pain signal is modified (inhibited or augmented) as it advances to the cerebral cortex
What is the most important site of pain modulation
Substantia gelatinosa in the dorsal horn (lamina 2 and 3)
Where does the descending inhibitory pain pathway begin and end
Begins: Periaqueductal gray and rostroventral medulla
Ends: substantia gelatinosa
What 2 mechanisms inhibit pain during modulation
- Spinal neurons releasing GABA and glycine
2. The descending pain pathway releasing norepinephrine, serotonin, and endorphins
What 2 mechanisms augment pain during modulation
- Central sensitization
2. Wind-up
What 6 drug classes target pain during modulation
- Neuraxial opioids
- NMDA antagonists
- Alpha-2 agonists
- AchE inhibitors
- SSRIs
- SNRIs
Define pain perception
Processing of pain signals in the cerebral cortex and limbic system
What drug classes target pain perception
- General anesthetics
- Opioids
- Alpha-2 agonists
What actions occur with the agonism of an opioid receptor
Agonism of the receptor instructs the G protein to “turn off” adenylate cyclase which decreases cAMP.
The reduced cAMP alters ionic currents, reducing neuronal function
What type of receptor are opioid receptors
G protein
What is the ultimate ionic effect of opioid receptor agonism
- Ca++ conductance is decreased (prevents NT release from nerve terminal)
- K+ conductance is increase (prevents AP propagation)
What are the 4 types of opioid receptors
- mu
- delta
- kappa
- ORL-1
Where are opioid receptors located
- Brain
- Spinal cord
- Sensory neurons
- Immune cells
Where are opioid receptors located in the brain
- Periaqueductal gray
- Locus coeruleus
- Rostral ventral medulla
Where are opioid receptors in the spinal cord located
- Primary afferent neurons in dorsal horn
2. Interneurons
What are the endogenous opioid ligand for each opioid receptor mu delta kappa ORL-1
mu = endorphins delta = enkephalins kappa = dynorphins ORL-1 = nociceptin
What are the precursors for the endogenous opioids
Pre-proopiomelanocortin => endorphins
Pre-enkephalin => enkephalins
Pre-dynorphin => dynorphins
Which opioid receptor mediates bradycardia
Mu
What CNS effects result from mu opioid receptor agonism
Sedation
Euphoria
Prolactin release
Mild hypothermia
What CNS effects result from kappa opioid receptor agonism
Sedation
Dysphoria
Hallucinations
Delirium
Which opioid receptors result in miosis
Mu and Kappa
Which opioid receptors cause urinary retention
Mu and delta
How does kappa receptor agonism affect the GU tract
causes diuresis
Which opioid receptors cause n/v
Mu
Which opioid receptor affects shivering
Kappa
Which opioid receptors can illicit pruritus
Mu
Delta
What effects are associated with Mu-3 receptor
immune suppression
What effects are associated with Mu-1 receptor
- Analgesia
- Bradycardia
- Euphoria
- Low abuse potential
- Miosis
- Hypothermia
- Urinary retention
What effects are associated with Mu-2 receptors
- Analgesia (spinal only)
- Respiratory depression
- Constipation
- Physical dependence
Which receptor can increase biliary pressure and by what mechanism
Mu
D/t contraction of the sphincter of Oddi
How do opioids affect ventilation centrally (3)
- Shifts the CO2 response curve to the right, reducing ventilatory response to CO2 (depression)
- Decrease RR
- Increase Vt
How is the CO2 response curve affected by opioids
It shifts right, reducing ventilatory response to CO2 (takes increased CO2 to stimulate ventilation)
How do opioids affect pupil diameter
Which opioid receptor mediates this
Miosis (constrict)
Mu and Kappa
What is the mechanism by which opioids produce miosis
Edinger Westphal nucleus stimulation leads to increased parasympathetic stimulation of ciliary ganglion and oculomotor nerve (CN 3)
How does opioid tolerance affect pupil diameter
Tolerance does not develop miosis
How do opioids elicit nausea and vomiting
- Chemoreceptor trigger zone stimulation in medulla is stimulated
- Interacts with vestibular apparatus
How is SSEP affected by opioids
No effect on evoked-potentials
What is the likely cause of HoTN from morphine or meperidine
Histamine release
What effect do opioids have on HR
Which opioid receptor mediates this
HR = bradycardia
Mu
What effect do opioids have on BP
Minimal effect
Decreased BP may be due to histamine release
Dose-dependent vasodilation
What effect do opioids have on the baroreceptor reflex
No affect
What effect do opioids have on myocardial function
Contractility is not affected by opioids
How can increased biliary pressure caused by opioids be reversed?
Administration of naloxone or glucagon
What effect do opioids have on gastric emptying
Which receptor
Prolonged
Mu
What effect do opioids have on urination
- Detrusor relaxation (contraction passes urine)
2. Urinary sphincter contraction
Which opioids can produce histamine release
Morphine
Meperidine
Codeine
What immunologic effects come with opioid administration
- Histamine release
- Inhibition of cellular and humoral immune function
- Suppression of natural killer cell function