Muscle Relaxants

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Muscle Relaxants
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Muscle Spasms

• Afferent pain due to spasticity increases the
  efferent response
• Causes?
• Fatigue
• Dehydration
• Electrolyte imbalace

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Spasms Spasticity

• Spasms
• Most common in athletics
• Due to muscle trauma
• Pain-spasm-pain cycle
• Results in loss of ROM
• Loss of function
• Possible tissue damage

• Spasticity
• Rigidity of the muscle
• Due to CNS dysfunction
• Exaggerated stretch reflex
• Often seen in cerebral palsy

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Malignant Hyperthermia

• Usually seen in athletes participating in
  hot/humid environments
• Increased tissue damage due to dehydration
• Cell damage due to calcium imbalance
• TX similar to EHI exhaustion/stroke

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Sources

• OTC
• Prescription
• Indications
• Pain reduction
• Muscle spasms
• Aid with intubation

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Centrally - Acting

• Centrally Acting
• Depress reflex impulse conduction within SC
• Dec. of impulses (CNS) avail. to produce
  contract
• Inhibits reflexes at the spinal level
• Do not alter function of skeletal muscle fibers
• Typically used with analgesics

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Drugs Used for Spasms

• Examples
• Skelaxin, Parafon Forte
• Valium
• Sedative effect often seen
• Never combine with alcohol
• Table 4-1 pg. 58

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Administration

• Oral or Parentally
• Metabolized
• Excreted
• Adverse Reactions
• Dizzy
• Blurred vision
• Lethargic
• Decreased alertness

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Peripherally Acting

• Inhibit contraction at the NMJ
• Inhibit neuromuscular function
• Nondepolarizing blockers prevent ACH from
  combining with receptors
• Depolarizing blockers
• Attaches to NII receptors depolarization
• Alters NII receptors cannot respond to ACH stim

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Administration

• Nondepolarizing IV
• Depolarizing IV
• Adverse Effects
• Paralysis of respiratory muscles
• Muscle paralysis
• Malignant hyperthermia drastic BT inc, shock,
  acidosis, electrolyte imbalance
• Indications - surgery

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Contraindications/Adverse Effects

• Drowsiness
• Decreased reaction time/balance
• Addictive
• What happens when combined with
• alcohol sedative effect
• Antihistamines CNS depression
• Highly abused drugs

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Final Word

• RX drugs should be the last resort
• Use other means of therapy
• TENS
• Thermal Therapy
• Massage
• Joint Mobes