Opioid antagonists
Opioid Antagonists
Opioid antagonists (pronunciation: oh-pee-oid an-tag-uh-nists) are a type of drug that counteracts the effects of opioid drugs in the nervous system. They are used in the treatment of opioid overdose and in some forms of drug addiction therapy.
Etymology
The term "opioid antagonist" is derived from the Greek words "opion", meaning "poppy juice", and "antagonistes", meaning "competitor, rival or adversary". The term refers to the drug's ability to compete with opioids for receptor sites in the nervous system, thereby blocking their effects.
Types of Opioid Antagonists
There are several types of opioid antagonists, including:
- Naloxone - This is often used in emergency situations to reverse the effects of opioid overdose.
- Naltrexone - This is used in long-term treatment of opioid addiction.
- Nalmefene - This is used in the treatment of alcohol dependence, but can also be used to counteract the effects of opioids.
Mechanism of Action
Opioid antagonists work by binding to the opioid receptors in the brain and other parts of the body. They have a higher affinity for these receptors than opioids do, which means they can displace opioids from the receptors and prevent them from exerting their effects.
Related Terms
- Opioid - A type of drug that includes both legal medications (like morphine and codeine) and illegal drugs (like heroin). Opioids work by binding to opioid receptors in the brain to reduce the perception of pain.
- Opioid Receptors - Proteins in the brain and other parts of the body that opioids bind to in order to exert their effects.
- Opioid Overdose - A potentially fatal condition that occurs when a person takes too much of an opioid drug.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Opioid antagonists
- Wikipedia's article - Opioid antagonists
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski