Physiology and Pharmacology of Nausea and Vomiting Flashcards
what is emesis
vomiting
what is nausea
highly unpleasant subjective urge to vomit. Felt in stomach and throat as a sinking feeling, doesn’t necessarily lead to vomiting
what is vomiting
the forceful expulsion of stomach contents through the mouth/nose by contraction of the abdominal muscles and diaphragm
what autonomic influences are seen in nausea
paleness, sweating, excessive salivation, elevation of heart rate, relaxation of smooth muscle of stomach and oesophagus, upper intestinal contractions with reverse peristalsis
what is retching
repetitive reverse peristalsis of the stomach and oesophagus without vomiting
what is regurgitation
effortless movement of swallowed food contents/ stomach acid back into the mouth (not associated with nausea or vomiting)
why is there excessive salivation in nausea
reduces acidic content entering the oesophagus helps reduce damage
why do you stop breathing when you vomit
to close the glottis and elevate the soft palate which helps seal off the nasal passage
does vomiting involve the active contraction of the stomach- why
no- smooth muscle of stomach relaxed so it can receive contents from the small intestine
what muscle contract to allow vomiting
skeletal muscles and diaphragm- increases intra-abdominal pressure
what state are the sphincters of the oesophagus in during vomiting
relaxed
what are the different pathways that stimulate vomiting
vestibular (motion sickness, labyrinth), central (brainstem), CNS, mechanical
what do all pathways stimulate
the vomiting centre in the medulla
how do absorbed toxins stimulate the vomiting centre
via CTZ within the AP of the brainstem
how do mechanical stimuli or pathologies within the GI tract stimulate the vomiting centre
via vagal afferents to brain stem
how does the vestibular system stimulate the vomiting centre
vestibular nuclei, CTZ
how do stimuli within the CNS stimulate the vomiting centre (pain, repulsive sights, odours, fear, anticipation, psychological factors
cerebral cortex, limbic system,
what do enterochromaffin cells in the mucosa release which causes the stimulation of vagal nerve fibres to the brainstem
5-HT and substance P
what are CTZ IMPORTANT
chemoreceptor trigger zone
where do vagal fibres from the gut terminate IMPORTANT
in CTZand NTS, both in the brain stem
what are NTS IMPORTANT
nucleus tractus solitarius