38 Questions
Which neurotransmitter is found at the neuromuscular junction of skeletal (only) muscles?
Acetylcholine
Which neurotransmitter is an agonist for Nicotinic receptors?
Nicotine
Which neurotransmitter is found at the neuromuscular junction of smooth and cardiac muscle?
Muscarine
Which neurotransmitter is an antagonist for Muscarinic receptors?
Atropine
Which type of agent affects the conduction speed in the AV node and subsequently the rate of electrical impulses in the heart?
Dromotropic agent
What is the primary effect of dopamine at low doses?
Stimulates the heart
What is the net effect of dobutamine on the heart and blood vessels?
Cardiac stimulation with modest vasodilation
How can arterial pressure (blood pressure) be raised according to the text?
By constricting the systemic vasculature
What is the main mechanism of action of tricyclic antidepressants?
Inhibiting serotonin reuptake
Which neurotransmitters are affected by MAOIs blocking monoamine oxidase?
Serotonin and norepinephrine
What is the main effect of Xanax (Benzodiazepine) on the body?
Increased lipolysis
What are the main actions of Beta 2 adrenergic receptors when stimulated?
Bronchodilation
How does epinephrine primarily act on adrenergic receptors?
Both alpha- and beta-adrenergic receptors
Which term refers to small molecules and ions that relay signals received by cell-surface receptors to effector proteins?
Second messenger
What does the blood-brain barrier control in terms of molecule passage?
Which molecules can pass from the blood into the brain
Which parameter is used to describe the activity of drugs in the body over a period of time?
Pharmacodynamics
What does osmosis refer to?
Passage of solvent molecules through a semipermeable membrane
In pharmacokinetics, what does bioavailability indicate?
Amount of active drug reaching the target tissue
What is the term used to describe the loss of the difference in charge between the inside and outside of the plasma membrane of a muscle or nerve cell due to a change in permeability and migration of sodium ions to the interior?
Transmission
Where does the initiation of another action potential occur when neurotransmitters interact with receptor proteins on the membrane of the postsynaptic cell?
Axon
What is the term used for the space between the junction of two neurons in a neural pathway where the termination of the axon of one neuron comes into proximity with the cell body or dendrites of another?
Post-synaptic
Which term refers to originating within the body?
Pre-synaptic
What is defined as a stage of an action potential in which the cell experiences a decrease of voltage due to the efflux of potassium ions along its electrochemical gradient?
Repolarization
How does norepinephrine affect heart rate?
Increases due to effects on beta1-ARs on myocardial cells
What effect does dopamine have on heart rate?
Increases due to activation of beta1 receptor
Which receptor type does dopamine NOT activate?
Alpha1
In terms of blood pressure, what effect does norepinephrine have?
Increases due to effects on total peripheral vascular resistance
What distinguishes dopamine from other catecholamines in its effects on heart rhythm?
Induces rhythm disturbances at high doses
Which medication is used as an antidote for opioid overdose?
Flumazenil
What can be a life-threatening side effect of administering pressors such as dopamine?
Tissue necrosis
In the context of pharmacologic interventions, what is a potential complication of TCA overdose?
EPS
Which medication is commonly associated with causing hypokalemia in patients with renal failure or on dialysis?
Furosemide
What is the primary use of atropine in the context of drug interventions?
Treating TCA overdose
Which neurotransmitter is naturally occurring and acts on α, β1, and dopaminergic adrenergic receptors?
Dopamine
What is a potential grave consequence of statin use in some patients?
Rhabdomyolysis
What symptom presentation is associated with extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS)?
Tremors and rigidity
What is the appropriate treatment for insulin overdose?
IV fluids with d50
What is the primary use of naloxone in clinical practice?
Reversal of morphine effects
Study Notes
Neurotransmitters and Receptors
- Acetylcholine is found at the neuromuscular junction of skeletal muscles.
- Acetylcholine is an agonist for Nicotinic receptors.
- Acetylcholine is also found at the neuromuscular junction of smooth and cardiac muscle.
- Muscarine is an antagonist for Muscarinic receptors.
Heart Regulation
- Parasympathetic stimulation affects the conduction speed in the AV node and subsequently the rate of electrical impulses in the heart.
- Dopamine has a primary effect of increasing renal blood flow at low doses.
- Dobutamine has a net effect of increasing contractility and heart rate, while decreasing systemic vascular resistance.
Blood Pressure and Vessels
- Arterial pressure (blood pressure) can be raised by increasing cardiac output, peripheral resistance, or both.
- Epinephrine primarily acts on alpha-1, alpha-2, beta-1, and beta-2 adrenergic receptors.
- Beta 2 adrenergic receptors, when stimulated, cause smooth muscle relaxation, increase insulin secretion, and increase glucagon secretion.
Pharmacology
- MAOIs (Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors) block the breakdown of norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine.
- Tricyclic antidepressants work by increasing the levels of norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine in the synaptic cleft.
- Xanax (Benzodiazepine) has a main effect of enhancing the activity of GABA, an inhibitory neurotransmitter.
Cellular Signaling
- Second messengers are small molecules and ions that relay signals received by cell-surface receptors to effector proteins.
- The blood-brain barrier controls the passage of molecules into the brain.
- Pharmacokinetics describe the activity of drugs in the body over a period of time.
- Osmosis refers to the movement of water molecules from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration.
Pharmacodynamics
- Bioavailability indicates the proportion of the administered dose that reaches the systemic circulation.
- Depolarization is the term used to describe the loss of the difference in charge between the inside and outside of the plasma membrane of a muscle or nerve cell.
- An action potential is initiated when neurotransmitters interact with receptor proteins on the membrane of the postsynaptic cell.
Other Key Concepts
- Endogenous refers to originating within the body.
- The repolarization phase is defined as a stage of an action potential in which the cell experiences a decrease of voltage due to the efflux of potassium ions along its electrochemical gradient.
- Norepinephrine increases heart rate, while dopamine has no effect on heart rate.
- Dopamine does not activate M5 receptors.
- Norepinephrine increases blood pressure.
- Dopamine has a unique effect on heart rhythm due to its effect on the SA node.
Clinical Pharmacology
- Naloxone is used as an antidote for opioid overdose.
- A life-threatening side effect of administering pressors such as dopamine is arrhythmias.
- A potential complication of TCA overdose is cardiac arrhythmias.
- Furosemide can cause hypokalemia in patients with renal failure or on dialysis.
- Atropine is used to increase heart rate in the context of drug interventions.
- Dobutamine is a naturally occurring neurotransmitter that acts on α, β1, and dopaminergic adrenergic receptors.
- A potential grave consequence of statin use in some patients is rhabdomyolysis.
- Extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) are associated with symptoms such as dystonia, akathisia, and parkinsonism.
- The appropriate treatment for insulin overdose is administration of glucose.
- Naloxone is used to treat opioid overdose in clinical practice.
Test your knowledge of cardiovascular pharmacology including the effects of beta-agonists, alpha-agonists, and vasoconstrictor drugs. Explore how these drugs affect heart rate, cardiac contractility, and vascular resistance.
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