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Related Concept Videos

Adrenergic Agonists: Therapeutic Uses01:30

Adrenergic Agonists: Therapeutic Uses

Adrenergic agonists have diverse therapeutic uses across various medical conditions and emergencies.
Emergency and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) applications: Pressor agents increase blood pressure, heart rate, and contractility in shock and organ failure situations. Dopamine can induce vasodilation and stimulate adrenoceptors. Endogenous catecholamines are effective in treating cardiogenic shock. α2-agonists like clonidine can reverse anesthesia-induced hypertension.
Allergies and anaphylaxis:...
Cholinergic Antagonists: Pharmacokinetics01:24

Cholinergic Antagonists: Pharmacokinetics

Cholinergic antagonists—such as antimuscarinics—are available in oral, topical, ocular, parenteral, and inhalational formulations. Most antimuscarinics are oral formulations,  while scopolamine is available as a topical patch, and ipratropium and tiotropium are available as inhalation aerosols or powders. Atropine, tropicamide, and cyclopentolate are topically instilled in the eye. Most antimuscarinics are lipid-soluble and readily absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and the conjunctiva.
Adrenergic Agonists: Therapeutic Classification01:18

Adrenergic Agonists: Therapeutic Classification

Adrenergic agonists can be classified based on their therapeutic uses and mechanisms of action. They serve various purposes in clinical applications.
Vasopressor or pressor agents: They increase blood pressure and function as cardiac stimulants. Examples include endogenous catecholamines (norepinephrine and dopamine) and synthetic agents (phenylephrine).
Bronchodilators: β2-agonists can relax bronchial muscles and widen airways. They are commonly used for treating obstructive pulmonary...
Adrenergic Agonists: Direct-Acting Agents01:30

Adrenergic Agonists: Direct-Acting Agents

Drugs that mimic the action of endogenous catecholamines like noradrenaline and adrenaline are called adrenergic agonists or sympathomimetics. Based on their mechanism of action, sympathomimetics can be classified as direct-, indirect-, or mixed-acting sympathomimetics. Direct-acting adrenergic agonists activate adrenoceptors without affecting presynaptic neurons, making them independent of neuronal catecholamine-depleting agents like reserpine and guanethidine.
These agents can be classified...
Parenteral Anesthetics: Overview01:24

Parenteral Anesthetics: Overview

Intravenous anesthetics are drugs administered parenterally to induce anesthesia or sedation. Propofol is a widely used agent formulated as a 1% emulsion in soybean oil, glycerol, and egg phosphatide. It induces rapid anesthesia primarily due to its rapid distribution from the bloodstream to target tissues and is metabolized in the liver. However, it can cause significant pain on injection and hypertriglyceridemia. Fospropofol, a water-based prodrug of propofol, lacks these adverse effects.
Local Anesthetics: Common Agents and Their Applications01:23

Local Anesthetics: Common Agents and Their Applications

Local anesthetics (LAs) are commonly used for various applications in medical and dental procedures. Some of the common agents used are cocaine, lidocaine, and bupivacaine.
Cocaine is an ester of benzoic acid and methylecgogine. It is used to anesthetize and vasoconstrict locally. Currently, it is used primarily for topical applications. It is beneficial for surgeries on the upper respiratory tract, providing anesthesia and shrinking the mucosa. Cocaine in the form of cocaine hydrochloride is...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 31, 2026

Urethral Stricture Induction Followed by Buccal Mucosa Graft Urethroplasty in a Rat Model
05:09

Urethral Stricture Induction Followed by Buccal Mucosa Graft Urethroplasty in a Rat Model

Published on: April 28, 2023

Alpha-2-agonists in day case anaesthesia.

Ian Smith1

  • 1University Hospital of North Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, UK. damsmith@btinternet.com

Current Opinion in Anaesthesiology
|July 8, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Alpha-2 agonists offer sedation and pain relief for anesthesia but have inconsistent results and side effect concerns. Their routine use in day surgery is not yet established, especially for pediatric recovery agitation.

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 31, 2026

Urethral Stricture Induction Followed by Buccal Mucosa Graft Urethroplasty in a Rat Model
05:09

Urethral Stricture Induction Followed by Buccal Mucosa Graft Urethroplasty in a Rat Model

Published on: April 28, 2023

Area of Science:

  • Anesthesiology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Alpha-2 agonists possess anesthetic-sparing, sedative, and analgesic properties beneficial for outpatient anesthesia.
  • Historical use was limited by significant adverse effects.
  • Recent research aims to identify optimal applications where benefits exceed risks.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the current role and efficacy of alpha-2 agonists in day case anesthesia.
  • To evaluate the balance between benefits and adverse effects of alpha-2 agonists in surgical settings.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic review of recent studies on alpha-2 agonists in anesthesia.
  • Analysis of efficacy for sedation and analgesia.
  • Assessment of reported adverse events and patient outcomes.

Main Results:

  • Recent studies confirm the utility of alpha-2 agonists for sedation and analgesia, though findings are inconsistent.
  • Some studies show advantages over alternative agents, but concerns regarding acute and long-term adverse effects persist.
  • Evidence for a defined routine role in day surgery remains limited.

Conclusions:

  • Alpha-2 agonists lack a clearly defined routine role in day surgery.
  • The most promising application is managing post-operative agitation in children, but safety concerns warrant caution.
  • Further research is needed to establish safe and effective protocols for alpha-2 agonist use.