Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is the primary mechanism of action of anxiolytic drugs?
What is the primary mechanism of action of anxiolytic drugs?
Which of the following is a characteristic of anxiolytic drugs?
Which of the following is a characteristic of anxiolytic drugs?
What is the primary advantage of midazolam over diazepam?
What is the primary advantage of midazolam over diazepam?
Which of the following benzodiazepines is known for its rapid absorption and anxiolytic action similar to morphine?
Which of the following benzodiazepines is known for its rapid absorption and anxiolytic action similar to morphine?
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What is a disadvantage of diazepam?
What is a disadvantage of diazepam?
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What is the characteristic of midazolam that minimizes pain at the injection site?
What is the characteristic of midazolam that minimizes pain at the injection site?
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What is the effect of midazolam's metabolites on the body?
What is the effect of midazolam's metabolites on the body?
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What is a characteristic of benzodiazepines that can be a concern for pregnant women?
What is a characteristic of benzodiazepines that can be a concern for pregnant women?
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Study Notes
Anxiolytic Drugs
- Used to decrease anxiety in patients, inducing sedation and calmness with amnesia
- Act predominantly on GABA receptors
- Characteristics:
- Minimum cardiac and respiratory depression
- Do not produce nausea and vomiting
- Lack analgesic effect
- Cross the placenta, potentially causing neonatal depression
Benzodiazepines
- Main class of anxiolytic drugs
- Exhibit anxiolytic, sedative, amnesic, and anticonvulsant properties
- Differ in pharmacokinetic properties, with some being short-acting and others slowly eliminated
Diazepam
- Dominant sedative and anxiolytic for oral premedication
- Rapidly absorbed when given orally
- Exerts an anxiolytic action similar to morphine in standard doses of 10-20mg
- Causes anterograde amnesia with no emetic side effects
- Disadvantages:
- Variable and unpredictable anxiolytic and sedative action
- Long elimination half-life
- Active metabolites prolong duration of action
- Intramuscular injection is painful and not recommended
Midazolam
- Water-soluble benzodiazepine and imidazobenzodiazepine derivative
- Water-soluble at pH < 4, highly lipid-soluble at physiologic pH
- Advantages:
- Minimizes pain at injection site
- Rapid distribution in tissues
- More potent than diazepam
- Faster onset and shorter duration of action than diazepam
- Elimination half-life: 1.5-3.5 hours (vs. 20 hours for diazepam)
- Metabolites have negligible soporific effects
- Suitable for:
- Producing conscious sedation in short endoscopic procedures
- Pre-operative sedation
- Induction of general anesthesia
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Description
Learn about anxiolytic drugs, their mechanisms, and effects on patients, including their uses, advantages, and disadvantages.
