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Respiratory, Unit Antihistaminic & GI Drugs
Asthma: Bronchoconstriction Increased mucus production
Managing the Airway
Drugs to open the airway Drugs to treat the inflammation
Decrease the airway remodeling
Remodeling describes the permanent, negative changes that can occur with chronic irriatation of the bronchioles. Leads to scarred and narrowed airways that are unable to dilate effectively.
Sheep Lung Changes With Dust Mite Challenge
There are many choices:
Simple Bronchodilators
Sympathomimetics
Xanthines
Anticholinergics
Bronchodilators with Antiinflammatory Effects
Asthma Prophylactics cromolyn
Leukotriene Modifiers
Corticosteroids Inhaled or Systemic
Combination therapy is often most effective with some agents potentiating others.
What is the drug of choice to halt an asthma attack?
A drug that can be used to manage the inflammatory aspect of asthma would be:
Antitussives
Narcotics
Depresses cough center in the medulla
Nonnarcotic Antitussives Therapeutic Uses: treat non-productive cough short term use need to determine the cause of the cough
Histamine
Histamine Antagonizing Drugs
H1 antagonists
Where are the H1 receptors:
overnotably All the smooth muscle in the bronchioles and intestine, also arterioles & capillaries.
H2 antagonists
Where are the H2 receptors:
Stomachincreases gastric acid secretion
H1 antagonists
Therapeutic Uses:
Antagonize allergic reactions (prevents more symptoms from occuring) Motion sickness
Side effects:
Antipsychotic-like effects Antimuscarinic effects
H2 antagonists
[cimetidine (Tagamet), famotidine (Pepcid), nizatidine
(Axid)]
Therapeutic Uses:
Ulcer patients (decrease gastric secretion) Treat heartburn
Ulcers: Breakdown of mucous barrier Back diffusion of acid
Infection w/ H. pylori
Modern ulcer therapy:
The bacterium Heliobacter pylori is present in the majority of ulcer cases so therapy should include:
an antisecretory agent, especially an H2 antagonist or proton pump inhibitor Bismuth (Pepto-Bismol) to reduce bacterial adherence to mucosal cells and damage bacterial cell walls At least 2 antibiotics to avoid resistance.
Amoxicillin, clarithromycin, metronidazol, and tetracycline have all been used successfully. A 2003 study indicates that aspirin makes bacterium more susceptible to antimicrobial agents
Ulcer Treatment