title: Sympathomimetic amines.
abstract: The autonomic nervous system may play an important role in tissue autoregulation as the neurohumoral transmission process has been shown to constitute the final common pathway by which the effects of many physiological and pharmacological substances are mediated. The effects of the administration of a sympathomimetic amine cannot be accurately predicted in a subject. Choice of which sympathomimetic amine to use should be determined on the basis of data obtained in relevant clinical circumstances, but the dose should always be titrated against the effect in each individual. It is interesting that adrenaline, "the original autonomic drug" with its "venerable history", is still a first line drug in many of the situations for which it was being prescribed in 1907. It is the drug of first choice in anaphylactic reactions and for severe allergic bronchospasm, and is widely used as a vasoconstrictor in surgery and with local anaesthetic agents. Adrenaline in "physiological" doses is a satisfactory and cheap alternative to other available drugs for use in septic shock and in emergence from cardiopulmonary bypass.
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000707:Anaphylaxis / Q000188:drug therapy; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy; D002315:Cardiopulmonary Bypass; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase / Q000502:physiology; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000502:physiology; D004296:Dopa Decarboxylase / Q000502:physiology; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000266:history / Q000502:physiology; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase / Q000502:physiology; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000188:drug therapy; D009411:Nerve Endings / Q000187:drug effects; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000502:physiology; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000188:drug therapy; D010625:Phenylethanolamine N-Methyltransferase / Q000502:physiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011941:Receptors, Adrenergic / Q000187:drug effects; D017981:Receptors, Neurotransmitter / Q000502:physiology; D012769:Shock / Q000188:drug therapy; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000188:drug therapy; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects; D013566:Sympathomimetics / Q000266:history / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014443:Tyrosine / Q000378:metabolism; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000502:physiology; D014661:Vasoconstriction / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists; D002395:Catecholamines; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D011941:Receptors, Adrenergic; D017981:Receptors, Neurotransmitter; D013566:Sympathomimetics; D014443:Tyrosine; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase; D010625:Phenylethanolamine N-Methyltransferase; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase; D004296:Dopa Decarboxylase; D004837:Epinephrine