What does anterograde amnesia mean and which drugs can cause this effect?

• Anterograde amnesia is the inability to remember events occuring during a drug's duration of action. Benzodiazepines cause this effect e.g Midazolam

Name the effects of the sedative-hypnotic drugs on the normal sleep pattern and explain their significance to the patient.

• Benzodiazepines increase the duration of phase 2 NREM, they have a small decreased effect on REM sleep and in in high dosages decrease REM sleep. Benzodiazepines decrease the time to fall asleep and increase the total sleep duration in patients who normally less than 6 hours at night.

Which of the sedative-hypnotic drugs are used as a supplementary therapy in anesthesia?  Can you explain why?

• Benzodiazepines because they cause anterograde amnesia.

Which of the sedative-hypnotic drugs are used as anticonvulsants?

• Barbiturates in high doses e.g phenobarbitone  and certain benzodiazepines e.g Diazepam and clonazapam.

What is the mechanism of the muscle-relaxing effects of some of the carbamates and the BDs?

• They inhibit postsynaptic reflexes.

Discuss the effects of the sedative-hypnotic drugs on the respiratory and cardiovascular systems.

• Therapeutic doses cause significant respiratory depression in pulmonary disease and cardiovascular depression in cardiovascular disease.