Local anaesthetic Flashcards
(126 cards)
What is analgesia?
Medication that relieves pain only
What is anaesthetic?
Medication that relieves all sensation
What is Local Anaesthetic?
loss of sensation in a circumscribed areas of the body by a depression of excitation in nerve endings or an inhibition of the conduction process in peripheral nerves.
What is local anaesthetic used for?
Controlling operative pain Control post-operative pain Controlling operative haemorrhage Diagnosis of pain Relief of orofacial pain – topical and injection
What are the contents of a local anaesthetic cartridge?
Anaesthetic
Vasoconstrictor
Vehicle (Ringers solution)
Reducing agent – sodium metabisulphite (prevents oxidation of adrenaline)
Fungicide (thymol)
Preservative (most preservative free today)
What general formula do all weak bases have?
Aromatic group – intermediate chain – amino terminal
What are the properties of each part of a weak base?
Aromatic ring - is lipophilic (dissolves in lipid sheath around the nerve)
Intermediate chain - esters (older because gave allergies) or amides
Amino terminal - hydrophilic so is soluble and can transfer through interstitial fluids
What were the disadvantages of the older LA’s having esters for aromatic and intermediate groups?
made them unstable in solution, not autoclavable and antigenic/allergies
What are the advantages of the new LA’s having amides for the aromatic and intermediate groups?
more stable, autoclavable and rarely antigenic
What are Lidocaine, Prilocaine, Mapivacaine, Articaine and Bupivocaine classified as and what is their duration?
All amides
All intermediate duration but Bupivocaine is long acting
What are procaine and benzocaine classified as?
Ester and procaine is short acting
What are local anaesthetics classified as chemically?
Weak organic bases
What are local anaesthetics in solution?
Uncharged free base or positively charged
What can the uncharged molecules of LA do?
Able to penetrate the membrane
more uncharged molecules = faster penetration
What do the charged form of LA bind to?
Specific receptors
What is the drug dispensed as for administration?
As a salt usually hydrochloride - makes them soluble in the water
What is the formula for pH and ionisation?
Log (ionised (water soluble)/ unionised (lipid soluble) = pKa - pH - henderson hasselbach equation
What happens at a lower pH?
Less of the LA solution will be non ionised i.e. infection
Why does LA have to be non charged?
The LA binding site is inside the nerve so molecules need to be able to pass the epineurium, perineurium and endoneurium
What does it re-equilibriate into once the LA is inside the nerve cell?
Mixed charged and non-charged forms.
Which form binds to the specific receptors inside the cell? - blocks sodium channels
The charged form of the LA
What can the non-specific form of LA cause (more about the shape of the molecule)?
The lipophilic portion of the molecule (aromatic ring) may cause swelling of the membrane which blocks the sodium channels (non-specific theory)
What does the LA actually do to the nerve cell?
Blocks its voltage gated sodium channels so initially increases threshold for excitation and then blocks conduction of action potentials
Which type of nerve fibres are affected first and last by LA?
First - small (pain and temp)
Last - large (motor, proprioceptive)