PHRM845-FINAL EXAM Flashcards
Pharmacology and pharmacotherapy of alcohol use/abuse
Today’s use for alcohol
-Fuel
-Chemical processes
-Disinfectant
-Vehicle (ex: almond extract)
-Recreation/social drinking
~Anxiolytic, euphoria, disinhibition
~Alcoholism (10% of the population)
Absorption of alcohol
-10% from stomach; 90% from small intestine
-Peak 30-90 minutes
-Limited by gastric emptying
~Slowed by food (eat before drinking; decreases the amount of alcohol that gets to brain)
-Alcohol increases acid release–>GERD/induce ulcers
Distribution of alcohol
-Distributed in total body water
~58% in men; 48% in women
~Men dilute alcohol more
Elimination of alcohol
-What kinetic is the elimination?
-Elimination rate is ____
-What is the rate-limiting step?
-Follows a zero-order kinetic
-Elimination is at or above 10-20 mg/dL (metabolizing 1-1.5 drinks/hour)
-ADH is the rate-limiting step
Metabolism of alcohol
**2 important steps
-90% in the liver
-ADH
-Microsomal ethanol oxidizing system (MEOS)
~Only at high alcohol concentration
~LOW affinity for alcohol
-Aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH)–> toxin (makes people sick)
Glucuronidation of alcohol
-What test is used?
-Who is it best suited for?
0.5%-EtG test
-Test used to monitor alcohol consumption for days after–too sensitive
-Ethyl glucuronide has a very long half-life
-Not used for drunk driving
-Mainly for high school athletes
- Alcohol is metabolized by ____
-Where is that enzyme found?
-Do men or women express higher levels?
-ADH
-Found in liver, brain, and stomach
-Men express higher levels of gastric ADH which is why they can drink more than women
Fomepizole (Antizole)
-ADH inhibitor
-ONLY used for alcohol poisoning
-Alcohol can be used as well to slow toxin metabolites
~Giving more substrate
-Fomepizole slows metabolism of the toxin so the body has more time to deal with it
-Slow formation of formaldehyde and toxic metabolites
-Liver has more time to further metabolize toxic metabolites
Acetaldehyde is metabolized by ____
-Importance of ALDH2 and the possible mutations
-Aldehyde dehydrogenase
-ALDH1B1 and ALDH2 are isoenzymes important for alcohol metabolism (50% of Asians only have ALDH2)
-SNP in ALDH2 reduces activity (ALDH22)
-Heterozygous ALDH22 reduces metabolic activity, causes flushing and increased skin temp, but pts can STILL CONSUME ETHANOL Build up more acetaldehyde
-Homozygous ALDH2*2 causes a deficiency int he ability to metabolize acetaldehyde
~Neurotoxic (Pt CANNOT CONSUME ETHANOL)
~Strong “hangover” from acetaldehyde build up
~Also alcoholic neuropathy
Disulfiram (Antabuse)
-Irreversible inhibitor of ADH
-Effects persist up to 14 days
-Must avoid meds with alcohol, such as Nyquil
Is tx with disulfiram effective?
NO; pts generally are not adherent because it makes them sick
Alcohol MOA
-Really “dirty” drug
-Potentiates opioid receptors
-Possibly works on GABA receptor to control DA release
-Possible works on nucleus accumbens
Ligand-gated ion channels that alcohol targets
-GABA-A receptors (allosteric activator of inhibitory neurotransmitters–cells become more negative and hyperpolarize)
-NMDA receptor inhibitor
-Alpha7 nicotinic receptors
Neurotransmitter release from alcohol consumption
-Opioids (enkephalin–endogenous opioid peptides)
~DA
-Serotonin and NE
-ACh
-Increases CNS and blood ACTH levels
Alcohol has a concentration that is (small/large) at different targets.
SMALL; mM unit
Blood alcohol level can be depicted in different ways
0.10% is equal to 100 mg/dL or 22 mmol/L of blood alcohol
What is mg%
-Milligrams of ethyl alcohol in 100 millilitres (1 dL) or blood
>0.1% = 100 mg/dL = 100 mg%
>USA 80mg% is the legal driving limit
-Independent of behavior tolerance (even if pt drinks all the time and no longer has a change in behavior from drinking, if they blow over 0.8mg%, they will be arrested.
Pharmacological actions of low alcohol levels
-Euphoria (warm feeling)
-Disinhibition (30-60 mg/dl)
-Talkative
-Analgesia (60-90 mg/dl)