PHAR 100 Lecture Notes - Gaba Receptor Antagonist, Sleep Induction, Buspirone

• School: Queen's University
• Department: Pharmacology and Toxicology
• Course: PHAR 100
• Professor: Bill Racz

Document Summary

The sedative-hypnotic agents are central nervous system (cns) depressants. These drugs produce dose-dependent cns depression ranging from: antianxiety effect sedation hypnosis (sleep) general anesthesia. The magnitude of cns depression produced by a drug at a particular dose determines whether the agent is considered as an antianxiety agent, a sedative, or a hypnotic at that dose. 1912, the introduction of phenobarbital heralded the age of the barbiturates. 1961, chlordiazepoxide was introduced and ushered in the era of the benzodiazepines. Some of the benzodiazepines are useful in absence seizures and status epilepticus. (e) treatment of skeletal muscle spasm: benzodiazepines reduce elevated skeletal muscle tone and are useful in neuromuscular disorders, e. g. cerebral palsy. Lesson b. 3 - sedative-hypnotics and anxiolytics (f) treatment of alcohol withdrawal syndrome: most of the benzodiazepines are useful in the treatment of alcohol withdrawal. There is cross-dependence on the two agents, diazepam substituting for alcohol. In 1977, specific receptors for the benzodiazepines were discovered in the nervous system.