What are adrenergic drugs? Show
Adrenergic drugs are medications that stimulate certain nerves in your body. They do this either by mimicking the action of the chemical messengers epinephrine and norepinephrine or by stimulating their release. These drugs are used in many life-threatening conditions, including cardiac arrest, shock, asthma attack, or allergic reaction. Adrenergic drugs stimulate the nerves in your body’s sympathetic nervous system (SNS). This system helps regulate your body’s reaction to stress or emergency. During times of stress, the SNS releases chemical messengers from the adrenal gland. These chemical messengers act on your body to increase heart rate, sweating, and breathing rate and to decrease digestion. This is sometimes called the “fight or flight” response. Adrenergic drugs have similar structures as the chemical messengers that your body produces during times of stress, such as epinephrine and norepinephrine. Certain areas called adrenergic receptors receive the messages from epinephrine and norepinephrine that tell your body how to respond. Adrenergic drugs also interact with these receptors. They can mimic epinephrine and norepinephrine and bind with the receptors, causing the fight or flight responses. These drugs can also bind with the receptors to stimulate the release of epinephrine and norepinephrine. Adrenergic drugs can help do the following:
Each type of adrenergic drug treats different conditions depending on which receptors are targeted. The specific action of the drug also depends on whether the drug acts directly as a chemical messenger or indirectly by stimulating the release of chemical messengers. BronchodilatorsBronchodilators open up the bronchial tubes, or air passages. These adrenergic drugs act on the beta receptors directly. When they bind with beta-2 receptors, they cause the airways leading to the lungs to open up. This helps improve breathing in patients with respiratory diseases such as:
Examples of bronchodilators include:
VasopressorsVasopressors can act on the alpha-1, beta-1, and beta-2 adrenergic receptors. They also can act on dopamine receptors. These drugs stimulate smooth muscle contraction in the blood vessels. This causes your blood vessels to become narrow. This effect also causes your blood pressure to increase. Increasing blood pressure can help treat shock. Narrowing blood vessels can help stop bleeding. It can also help keep anesthetics (drugs that numb your body) from spreading by closing off nearby blood vessels. Certain vasopressors may also be used for colds or allergies. They can shrink the swollen blood vessels in the mucous membranes of your nose. These drugs are often referred to as nasal decongestants. Examples of different vasopressors include:
Cardiac stimulatorsCardiac stimulators can be used to stimulate and restore the heart beat. They’re used if your heart stops beating suddenly because of electrocution, suffocation, or drowning. When this happens, epinephrine can be injected directly into your heart to help make it start beating again. If you’re thinking about an adrenergic drug, you should also consider side effects and your own medical history. Side effects of adrenergic drugs vary and depend on the specific drug you’re taking. Not all people will experience all possible side effects of each adrenergic drug. Likewise, not every adrenergic drug is right for every person. Health conditions other than what you need to treat with an adrenergic drug can play a role in deciding which drug is right for you. You can discuss all of these factors with your doctor to find a good choice. These drugs are often used to treat high blood pressure when other medications haven't worked. By Mayo Clinic StaffBeta blockers, also known as beta-adrenergic blocking agents, are medications that reduce blood pressure. Beta blockers work by blocking the effects of the hormone epinephrine, also known as adrenaline. Beta blockers cause the heart to beat more slowly and with less force, which lowers blood pressure. Beta blockers also help widen veins and arteries to improve blood flow. Examples of beta blockersSome beta blockers mainly affect the heart, while others affect both the heart and blood vessels. Your doctor will choose which beta blocker is best for you based on your health conditions. Examples of beta blockers taken by mouth include:
When beta blockers are usedBeta blockers aren't recommended as a first treatment in people who have only high blood pressure. Beta blockers aren't usually prescribed for high blood pressure unless other medications, such as diuretics, haven't worked well. Also, a doctor may prescribe a beta blocker as one of several medications to lower blood pressure. Beta blockers may not work as effectively for black people and older people, especially when taken without other blood pressure medications. Beta blockers are used to prevent, treat or improve symptoms in people who have:
Your doctor may prescribe beta blockers along with other medications. Side effectsCommon side effects of beta blockers can include:
Less common side effects include:
Beta blockers generally aren't used in people with asthma because of concerns that the medication may trigger severe asthma attacks. In people who have diabetes, beta blockers may block signs of low blood sugar, such as rapid heartbeat. It's important to check your blood sugar regularly if you have diabetes and you're taking a beta blocker. Beta blockers can also affect cholesterol and triglyceride levels. They can cause a slight rise in triglycerides, a type of fat in the blood, and a modest decrease in good cholesterol, or high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. These changes often are temporary. You shouldn't abruptly stop taking a beta blocker because doing so could increase your risk of a heart attack or other heart problem. Sign up for free, and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips and current health topics, like COVID-19, plus expertise on managing
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. What drug blocks adrenergic receptors?Alpha blockers are also called alpha-adrenergic blocking agents, alpha-adrenergic antagonists, adrenergic blocking agents and alpha-blocking agents. Examples of alpha blockers used to treat high blood pressure include: Doxazosin (Cardura) Prazosin (Minipress)
Which should not be taken with betaWhat are the drug interactions? Beta blockers [pindolol (Visken) and propranolol (Inderal, InnoPran)] should not be taken with phenothiazines [thioridazine and chlorpromazine (Thorazine)] as this will cause an increase in blood plasma levels of either or both classes of drugs.
Which common adverse effects might a patient experience when taking an anticholinergic agent?Typical symptoms include dry mouth, constipation, urinary retention, bowel obstruction, dilated pupils, blurred vision, increased heart rate, and decreased sweating (Table 1).
Which of the following are known as adrenergic drugs?Adrenergic drugs are medications that stimulate certain nerves in your body. They do this either by mimicking the action of the chemical messengers epinephrine and norepinephrine or by stimulating their release.. ephedrine.. epinephrine.. dopamine.. phenylephrine.. pseudoephedrine.. oxymetazoline.. |