NEET MDS Lessons
Pharmacology
Nystatin
Candida spp. are sensitive to nystatin.
Uses: Cutaneous, vaginal, mucosal and esophageal infections.
Candida infections can be treated with nystatin.
Cryptococcus is also sensitive to nystatin.
Nystatin is often used as prophylaxis in patients who are at risk for fungal infections, such as AIDS patients with a low CD4+ count and patients receiving chemotherapy.
MOA
nystatin binds to ergosterol, the main component of the fungal cell membrane. When present in sufficient concentrations, it forms a pore in the membrane that leads to K+ leakage and death of the fungus.
Ofloxacin : It is a quinolone antibiotic and similar in structure to levofloxacin. It is an alternative treatment to ciprofloxacin for anthrax.
Gentamicin
Gentamicin is a aminoglycoside antibiotic, and can treat many different types of bacterial infections, particularly Gram-negative infection.
Gentamicin works by binding to a site on the bacterial ribosome, causing the genetic code to be misread.
Like all aminoglycosides, gentamicin does not pass the gastro-intestinal tract, so it can only be given intravenously or intramuscularly.
Gentamicin can cause deafness or a loss of equilibrioception in genetically susceptible individuals. These individuals have a normally harmless mutation in their DNA, that allows the gentamicin to affect their cells. The cells of the ear are particularly sensitive to this.
Gentamicin can also be highly nephrotoxic, particularly if multiple doses accumulate over a course of treatment. For this reason gentamicin is usually dosed by body weight. Various formulae exist for calculating gentamicin dosage. Also serum levels of gentamicin are monitored during treatment.
E. Coli has shown some resistance to Gentamicin, despite being gram-negative
Loperamide
- Similar chemically and pharmacologically to Diphenoxylate.
- Slows gastrointestinal motility by effects on the circular and longitudinal muscles of the intestine.
- Not well absorbed following oral administration.
- Useful in the treatment of diarrhea.
Pramlintide -Amylin mimetics
Mechanism
synthetic analogue of human amylin that acts in conjunction with insulin
↓ release of glucagon
delays gastric emptying
Clinical use
type I and II DM
Examples of calculations of doses of vasoconstrictors
Ratio concentrations represent grams per millilitre
1:100,000 = 0.01 mg/mL or 10 µg/mL
1:200,000 = 0.005 mg/mL or 5 µg/mL
1:50,000 = 0.02 mg/mL or 20 µg/mL
1 cartridge of epinephrine 1:200,000 = 9 µg
1 cartridge of epinephrine 1:100,000 = 18 µg
1 cartridge of epinephrine 1:50,000 = 36 µg
1 cartridge of levonordefrin 1:20,000 = 90 µg
Clavulanic acid is often combined with amoxicillin to treat certain infections caused by bacteria, including infections of the ears, lungs, sinus, skin, and urinary tract. It works by preventing bacterium that release beta-lactamases from destroying amoxicillin.