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

Anterograde amnesia inability to remember events occurring during the drug's duration of action)

The drugs responsible includes the following:

Benzodiazepines (BD’s): triazolam, temazepam, lorazepam, diazepam.

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

• Decrease in the time it takes to fall asleep.
• Small doses lead in the decrease in the effect of REM sleep.
• High doses decrease the duration of REM sleep
• Increases the duration of phase 2 NREM.
• Decreases the duration of phase 4 NREM.
• It will ultimately increase the sleep duration.

Some tolerance to their effects on sleep patterns if hypnotics are used for more than 1 – 2 weeks. The sedative-hypnotic drugs are used in patients who suffer from insomnia, to fall asleep and increase the quality of sleep

Which of the sedative-hypnotic drugs are used as supplementary therapy for anaesthesia?

The drugs used are Barbiturates and some BDs: Thiopental, midazolam, diazepam, lorazepam.

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

Diazepam, lorazepam, clonazepam, clobazam, phenobarbitone.

What is the mechanism of the muscle-relaxing effects of some of the carbamates and BD’s?

Carbamates and benzodiazepines inhibit polysynaptic reflexes. It increases the level of calming chemicals in your brain allowing you to feel relaxed and drowsy.

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

Respiratory system:

Sedative-hypnotics can cause severe respiratory depression in patients with pulmonary disease. Effects on respiration are dose-related and a overdose can cause too much depression on the medullary respiratory centre which can lead to death a times.

Cardiovascular system:

Sedative-hypnotics may cause cardiovascular depression in patients that suffer with diseases which cause cardiovascular impairment. The depression caused, can be due to action at the medullary vasomotor centre. The high doses cause myocardial contractility and vascular tone may both be depressed by central and peripheral effects, which  lead to circulatory collapse.