T3-Analgesics: Muscle Relaxers-MJ

Question 1

What are the two topics here?

Answer 1

Muscle relaxants

Drugs for spasticity

Question 2

What are muscle spasms?

Answer 2

Involuntary contractions

Question 3

What do muscle spasms result from?

Answer 3

Musculoskeletal injuries

Question 4

Are muscle spasms painful?

Answer 4

Yes

Question 5

What type of patients often have muscle spasms?

Answer 5

Femur fracture patients

Question 6

Do muscle relaxers work on the muscle?

Answer 6

No, they work on brain and CNS

Question 7

What neurotransmitter do muscle relaxers work on?

Answer 7

GABA

Question 8

So if muscle relaxers work on GABA, what are some precautions patients need to be aware of?

Answer 8

• It can cause sedation
• Avoid ETOH
• Be cautious with driving
• There is abuse potential

Question 9

What are 3 muscle relaxers?

Answer 9

Carisoprodol
Cyclobenzaprine
Diazepam

Question 10

Cyclobenzaprine (muscle relaxer) is very similar to what class of drugs?

Answer 10

TCA

Question 11

So if clyclobenzaprine is similar to TCAs, what effects can be seen when someone is taking clyclobenzaprine?

Answer 11

Sedation
Anticholinergic effects (can't see, can't pee, can't shit, can't spit)

Question 12

If clyclobenzaprine is combined with another serotinic drug, is that okay?

Answer 12

NO! It can cause serotonin syndrome

Question 13

What is spasticity?

Answer 13

Heightened muscle tone

Question 14

What is spasticity caused by?

Answer 14

MS (musculosclerosis)
CP (cerebral palsy)
Stroke

Question 15

What are the ONLY 3 drugs for muscle spasticity?

Answer 15

Baclofen
Diazepam
Dantrolene

Question 16

Dantrolene: the only drug that is not centrally acting. So what does that mean?

Answer 16

It will work DIRECTLY on the muscle

Question 17

Dantrolene may help with the spasm, but what does it decrease?

Answer 17

Muscle strength

Question 18

What should flash in our head when we hear we have to give dantrolene to our patient?

Answer 18

LIVER TOXICITY

Question 19

Who is most at risk for liver toxicity if we have to give them dantrolene?

Answer 19

WOMEN who are >35 have a high risk for liver toxicity

Question 20

Dantrolene is also a treatment for ______.

Answer 20

Malignant hyperthermia

Question 21

Is malignant hyperthermia common or rare?

Answer 21

Rare

Question 22

Is malignant hyperthermia life threatening?

Answer 22

Yes!

Question 23

How is malignant hyperthermia triggered?

Answer 23

General anesthesia

Question 24

If a patient has to get general anesthesia, what is done?

Answer 24

They may be screened; family history is the major risk factor for if this could happen to the patient

Question 25

What does malignant hyperthermia cause?

Answer 25

Extreme rigidity and temperature

Question 26

If a patient has malignant hyperthermia, what drug do we want to have handy? Why?

Answer 26

Dantrolene-because it is the treatment for malignant hyperthermia!