Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0026837 (muscle rigidity)
 1,077 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

A study was made of the effects of different volumes of injection product, adrenaline, the alpha 2-adrenoceptor-agonist medetomidine and Mycobacterium butyricum on epidural sufentanil in the rat. Increasing the volume of epidural sufentanil, and similarly decreasing the concentration of the injection product, resulted in a potentiation of the analgesic properties of epidural sufentanil without affecting the effects of the drug on the pinna and cornea reflexes and on muscle tonus. An analogue effect was observed if rats were tested for epidural analgesia during a chronic pain phase after inoculation with Mycobacterium butyricum. Adding adrenaline to epidural sufentanil also resulted in an increased analgesia but there was also a minor potentiation of all other behavioural parameters measured. The alpha 2-adrenoceptor-agonist medetomidine, clearly potentiated all behavioural effects induced by epidural sufentanil. As a consequence, there was no gain in specificity for epidural analgesia. Medetomidine, however, clearly reversed the normally observed skeletal muscle rigidity into a muscle hypotonia. Globally, these results thus indicate that manipulations of the volume of injection, the additional treatment with other drugs and the pain state of the animal can alter the activity of epidural sufentanil. Therefore, it might be concluded that the differences in the duration of analgesia observed with epidural sufentanil between human and animal studies can be partially explained in terms of differences between the experimental conditions.
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PMID:Effects of adrenaline, an alpha 2-adrenoceptor agonist, the volume of injection, and the global pain state of the animal on the activity of epidural sufentanil. 257 73

Medications which bind to opioid receptors are increasingly being prescribed for the treatment of multiple and diverse chronic painful conditions. Their use for acute pain or terminal pain is well accepted. Their role in the long-term treatment of chronic noncancer pain is, however, controversial for many reasons. One of the primary reasons is the well-known phenomenon of psychological addiction that can occur with the use of these medications. Abuse and diversion of these medications is a growing problem as the availability of these medications increases and this public health issue confounds their clinical utility. Also, the extent of their efficacy in the treatment of pain when utilized on a chronic basis has not been definitively proven. Lastly, the role of opioids in the treatment of chronic pain is also influenced by the fact that these potent analgesics are associated with a significant number of side effects and complications. It is these phenomena that are the focus of this review. Common side effects of opioid administration include sedation, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, constipation, physical dependence, tolerance, and respiratory depression. Physical dependence and addiction are clinical concerns that may prevent proper prescribing and in turn inadequate pain management. Less common side effects may include delayed gastric emptying, hyperalgesia, immunologic and hormonal dysfunction, muscle rigidity, and myoclonus. The most common side effects of opioid usage are constipation (which has a very high incidence) and nausea. These 2 side effects can be difficult to manage and frequently tolerance to them does not develop; this is especially true for constipation. They may be severe enough to require opioid discontinuation, and contribute to under-dosing and inadequate analgesia. Several clinical trials are underway to identify adjunct therapies that may mitigate these side effects. Switching opioids and/or routes of administration may also provide benefits for patients. Proper patient screening, education, and preemptive treatment of potential side effects may aid in maximizing effectiveness while reducing the severity of side effects and adverse events. Opioids can be considered broad spectrum analgesic agents, affecting a wide number of organ systems and influencing a large number of body functions.
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PMID:Opioid complications and side effects. 1844 35

Many antidepressants inhibit serotonin or norepinephrine reuptake or both to achieve their clinical effect. The selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor class of antidepressants (SSRIs) includes citalopram, escitalopram (active enantiomer of citalopram), fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, paroxetine, and sertraline. The SSRIs are as effective as tricyclic antidepressants in treatment of major depression with less significant side effects. As a result, they have become the largest class of medications prescribed to humans for depression. They are also used to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorders, alcoholism, obesity, migraines, and chronic pain. An SSRI (fluoxetine) has been approved for veterinary use in treatment of canine separation anxiety. SSRIs act specifically on synaptic serotonin concentrations by blocking its reuptake in the presynapse and increasing levels in the presynaptic membrane. Clinical signs of SSRI overdose result from excessive amounts of serotonin in the central nervous system. These signs include nausea, vomiting, mydriasis, hypersalivation, and hyperthermia. Clinical signs are dose dependent and higher dosages may result in the serotonin syndrome that manifests itself as ataxia, tremors, muscle rigidity, hyperthermia, diarrhea, and seizures. Current studies reveal no increase in appearance of any specific clinical signs of serotonin toxicity with regard to any SSRI medication. In people, citalopram has been reported to have an increased risk of electrocardiographic abnormalities. Diagnosis of SSRI poisoning is based on history, clinical signs, and response to therapy. No single clinical test is currently available to confirm SSRI toxicosis. The goals of treatment in this intoxication are to support the animal, prevent further absorption of the drug, support the central nervous system, control hyperthermia, and halt any seizure activity. The relative safety of the SSRIs in overdose despite the occurrence of serotonin syndrome makes them more desirable than other antidepressants. The prognosis in animals that receive treatment is excellent. In one retrospective study, there were no deaths in 313 SSRI-poisoned dogs. No characteristic or classic histopathologic lesions result from SSRI toxicosis. Differential diagnoses for SSRI overdose must include ingestions of other serotonergic medications such as phenylpiperidine opioids (fentanyl and tramadol), mirtazapine, buspirone, amitraz, and chlorpheniramine.
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PMID:Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor exposure. 2379 82