Pharmacology - Alberta College of Paramedics

DepressantDrug Family Major effects Side-EffectsEthanol (Alcohol)Benzodiazepines:Lorazepam (Ativan),Diazepam (Valium), Versed(Midazolam), Temazepam(Restoril), Alprazolam(Xanax)Barbiturates:Phenobarbital, Secobarbital,ThiopenthalCauses multiple systemeffect including neurologicaldisorders, fluid andelectrolyte imbalances, GIdisorders, cardiac andskeletal muscle myopathy.Causes depression of theCNS. These drugs exercisetheir anxiety reducing effectsby acting on the limbicsystem.Enhances and mimics effectsof CNS neurotransmitter(GABA) resulting in sedationand increasing seizurethreshold.CNS implications of ethanolintoxication are feeling ofrelaxation and confidence,impaired judgment,incordination, drowsinessand sedations.Drowsiness and amnesia arecommon side effects of thesedrugs. When used inconjunction with otherdepressants, may cause amarked respiratorydepression.Depresses the reticularactivating system (RAS)causing marked sedation andrespiratory depression.Drug namesDrug names can be quite confusing, as there can be several names for one drug. Adrug can only have one generic name but can have many trade names. Forsimplistic purposes drugs can have three different names:• Chemical Name• Trade Name (proprietary or brand name)• Generic Name (nonproprietary name)When a drug is first invented it will be known as a chemical name based on thedrug’s molecular structure and chemical composition.A trade name is the name that is always capitalized (a proper noun) and given tothe drug by the manufacturer. A drug may have several trade names, depending onthe number of companies producing it, but will have only one generic name.The generic name is usually some form of abbreviation of the chemical name andwill not be capitalized.EMT Pharmacology 43