8 5: CNS Depressants Medicine LibreTexts

Basic information related to a common generic medication in this class is outlined, including administration considerations, therapeutic effects, and side effects/adverse effects. Prototype/generic medication listed in the med grid is also hyperlinked directly to a free resource from the U.S. Because information about medication is constantly changing, nurses should always consult evidence-based resources to review current recommendations before administering specific medication. The deliriants, anticholinergic drugs with prominent CNS effects, were considered most suitable for use as military incapacitating agents. The drug, however, is still used in medical pharmacology research as a muscarinic receptor antagonist; it is designated QNB for such purposes. The primary difference between barbiturates and benzodiazepines is the mechanism by which they open ion channels.

Health Conditions

There are allosteric binding sites for various ligands, including benzodiazepines, barbiturates, and neurosteroids. As yet, an allosteric site where ethanol works is not known, although the inhibitory effects of ethanol are ultimately mediated through the GABAA receptor. Opioids are substances that act on opioid receptors to reduce pain.133 Medically, they are primarily used for pain relief, including anesthesia. One 2017 study suggests that people taking both opioids and benzodiazepines have a higher risk of opioid overdose and emergency room admissions. A similar study suggests that people taking both types of drugs have a 10-fold risk of dying from an overdose compared with those who only take opioids.

What are some systemic effects associated with chemical injuries?

Naloxone is administered to people who are suffering from an opioid overdose. It can either be administered as an injection or given intravenously. Sometimes these effects can be mild, but they can also be severe and potentially dangerous. The vapors in inhalants compete with oxygen, which means users of inhalants may have a low oxygen supply. Coupled with slowed breathing or respiratory failure, this may result in a delayed death.

Symptoms include loss of muscle coordination, difficulty thinking and speaking, and shallow breathing. These symptoms often result in behavior similar to that exhibited by someone who is drunk. Eventually, these symptoms can worsen and, uncorrected, lead to respiratory depression, coma, or death. Sedative-hypnotics include barbiturates, benzodiazepines, and non-benzodiazepines (such as Z-drugs). We will discuss some of these in greater detail during Unit 4 on psychotherapeutic drugs, but, for this chapter, we will focus on barbiturates.

Dosage for patients with severe hepatic insufficiency should be adjusted carefully according to patient response. Benzodiazepines are used for sedation, antianxiety, and anticonvulsant effects. Lorazepam injection is indicated for the treatment of status epilepticus.

If pH is 7.60 or more, seizures may occur in the absence of an underlying epileptic diathesis. Acidosis depresses the central nervous system (this most frequently occurs in respiratory acidosis). Early signs of impairment include tremors, myoclonic jerks, and clonic movement disorders.

Gabapentinoids

By increasing GABA activity, brain activity is reduced, leading to a relaxing effect. Benzodiazepines are a type of CNS depressant that have sleep-inducing, sedative, muscle-relaxing, and anticonvulsant effects. Valium (diazepam), Xanax (alprazolam), Halcion (triazolam), Ativan (lorazepam), and Klonopin (clonazepam) are the most commonly prescribed benzodiazepines.

Dependence and withdrawal

1. Since they share similar functions and many sedatives cause hypnotic effects at higher doses (and vice-versa), they are usually referred to as a single class of drug, sedative-hypnotics.
2. As a result, increasing GABA activity will, in general, reduce the activity of other neurons and transmitters.
3. CNS depressants are medications and other substances that slow down the CNS.

Now that we have covered stimulants, it is time to move on to drugs that have opposing effects. In this chapter, we will examine a variety of depressants and learn about how they alter neurotransmission to reduce the activity of the central nervous system. We will begin with a review of the GABAA receptor which is the molecular target of a heterogeneous group of CNS depressant drugs ranging from alcohol to barbiturates to benzodiazepines and others. In contrast, stimulants, or “uppers”, increase mental alertness, making stimulants the opposite drug class from depressants. Antidepressants are defined by their effect on mood, not on general brain activity, so they form an orthogonal category of drugs. Barbiturates are typically prescribed to reduce anxiety and treat sleep disorders.

Barbiturates cause the channel to open for a longer period of time, whereas benzodiazepines cause the channel to open more frequently. This difference in phamacodynamics partially explains why barbiturates are more likely to cause an overdose. For further information regarding the neuropharmacology of benzodiazepines, see Neuropharmacology of Benzodiazepines. A glutamatergic hypothesis has been proposed, suggesting that augmented GABA inhibitory neurotransmission produces a compensatory increased glutamatergic excitatory response. Sudden withdrawal of benzodiazepines reduces GABAergic neurotransmission while there is still a residual enhanced glutamatergic response remaining. This excess glutamate may be responsible for the anxiogenic and epileptic symptoms possible during benzodiazepine withdrawal.

Mixing CNS depressants, opioids, and alcohol increases their effect. There may be severe adverse reactions and possibly life-threatening consequences. Sexual and violent crime are other areas where people are known to misuse CNS depressants.

CNS depressants work by slowing down your brain activity, which is why it’s great for conditions like anxiety and sleep disorders. CNS depressants slow down brain activity, making them a great treatment for sleeping disorders. Sonata and Ambien are two types of sleeping medication central nervous system (cns) depressants that are CNS depressants. Although they have a lower risk of dependency than other CNS depressants, long-term use may cause the condition. At high doses, barbiturates can result in generalized CNS depression.

 119 total views,  2 views today