Week 5 Flashcards
The autonomic nervous system a reminder
Three key divisions:
-sympathetic (thoracolumbar)
-parasympathetic (Craniosacral)
-enteric (the gut)- an important reservoir for blood
Effects of sympathetic stimulation
Cardiovascular;
-increased heart rate and contractility B1
-vasoconstriction a1 and a2
-some vasodilation B2
-regulations of renin release for volume control b1
Perivascular nerves
In adventitia of blood vessels
Neurotransmitter is release in this outer layer and it diffuses towards the smooth muscle cells to cause its effect
Drugs that act at receptors
The availability of sub-type selective drugs means that many drugs that act at adrenoceptors are clinically useful
Receptors subtypes are relatively distinct cellular locations which also allows for specific targeting
Adrenoceptors subtypes
Alpha :
A1 and a2 ————— vascular
A1: a1A, a1B, a1D
A2: a2A, a2B
Beta:
B1- cardiac tends to activate Gs pathway
B2- vascular
B3
Selective agonists and antagonists: with CV relevance
Agonist. Antagonist
A1: Phenylnephrine, midodrine. Doxazosin
A2: Clonidine.
B1: Dobutamine Metoprolol
B2: Salbutamol
Midodrine: a prodrug, the active drug being desglymidodrine
B-adrenoceptor activation: effects on the heart
Increased heart rate (positive chronotropic effect)
Increased contractility rate (positive inotropic effect)
Increased automaticity
Fast relaxation and recovery (lusitropic effect)
B-adrenoceptor activation: intracellular pathways
Binding of agonist to B1 receptor will activate Gs signalling pathway (mediated by AC through cAMP and PKA)
A beta agonist like isoprenaline (ISO) or adrenaline
PKA has multiple targets:
- increased ICa,L current (Ca2+ channel) for greater Ca2+ entry
-increased Ik for faster repolarisation
-increased Na+/K+ ATPase activity increased If (funny current) for positive chronotropy
-increased SR Ca2+ uptake (via phospholamban inhibition of SERCA). This allows cardiomyocytes to remove Ca2+ more quickly allowing for faster relaxation
-increased Ca2+ sensitivity of contractile apparatus within cells
Clinical uses of agonists
Adrenaline (b/a agonist):
-the most important drug
Used to treat:
-asystole, ventricular fibrillation and other severe arrhythmias
-anaphylaxis- during anaphylaxis you get major vasodilation around body so a1 agonist helpful
-when injected locally, causes vasoconstriction; commonly used in a mixture with local anaesthetics
Dobutamine:
-b1 agonist
-used to treat cardiogenic shock by providing “inotropic support”
A1 adrenoceptors activation in smooth muscle: intracellular pathways
Classical pathway: a1 adrenoceptors coupled to Gq-> activation IP3-> IP3 mediated Ca2+ release from SR-> contraction
Alternative pathway: through PKC, through rho-kinase
Phenylephrine a1 agonist
Vasoconstriction
One of the many potential ingredients of sudafed
Used to treat nasal congestion
Midodrine (prodrug for a1 agonist)
Prodrug: a compound that after administration is metabolised into a pharmacologically active drug
Causes: vasoconstriction, with venoconstriction (increased capacitance) probably being more important
Used to treat:
-postural hypotension in autonomic failure, it causes tonic a1 mediated vasoconstriction which keeps up total peripheral resistance.therefore more of blood is shunted centrally which means they are more able to cope with postural change
-postural hypotension is also treated with a Mineralocorticoid to increase circulating volume (fludrocortisone)
Droxidopa
Prodrug for noradrenaline (by analogy with dopa for dopamine)
Used for the short term treatment of postural hypotension in autonomic failure
alpha2-adrenoceptor agonists
Clonidine: centrally acting anti hypertensive, acts by decreasing sympathetic drive
Brimonidine: direct transcutaneous vasoconstriction for rosacea (cutaneous vasodilation-redness)
Clinical uses of antagonists
Doxazosin: a1
-causes vasodilation by opposing resting tone
-used to treat: hypertension, Raynauds syndrome (inappropriate or excessive cutaneous vasoconstriction)
“B blockers” eg propranolol (B1/B2), metoprolol (b1), atenolol (B1):
-negative chronotropic actions
-negative inotropic actions
-inhibits automaticity
-hence decrease the work done by the heart: decreases HR, decreases contractility, decreases automaticity
-Anti-platelet aggregation
-used to treat: angina, heart failure, cardiac arrythmias (antidysrhythmic drugs), hypertension