Ok...I've been spinning my brain in circles here...one minute I've got it, the next I'm so lost I could die.
Let me see if I have this...at all...and if any or all of this is wrong, please feel free to correct or tweak anything!!
So, within the Autonomic NS, there's the parasympathetic NS and sympathetic NS.
The parasympathetic is the rest and digest.
The sympathetic is fight-or-flight.
Very simply, these two systems are in constant opposition of each other. When one is activated, the other is "off", and vice-versa.
Within the body, there are different types of receptors.
There are adrenergic receptors, for which there are adrenergic agonists (activating the receptor) and adrenergic antagonists (which block the receptor).
There are also cholinergic receptors, for which there are cholinergic agonists (activating the receptor) and anticholinergic (blocking the receptor)
The difference between adrenergic and cholinergic are the fibers by which the "travel"? The ways in which they...act on their receptors? The adrenergic uses the Alpha and Beta receptors. The cholinergic uses AcH.
BUUUUTTTTT:
Whats the reaaaalll difference?? They both work on both para and sympathetic nervous systems, yes?
Is the difference just WHAT they mimic? Which neurotransmitters they mimic??
Even though they can potentially create the same effect...??
For instance...Epinephrine, an adrenergic agonist (?), increases HR, BP, etc., but technically, an anticholinergic does the same thing...but they are different somehow? HOW??!
OR: is it:
Cholinergic agonists increase the "resting and digesting", like lowering HR, lowering BP, increasing GI motility
Cholinergic antagonists decrease the "resting and digesting" (activating SNS??), like raising HR and BP, and decreasing GI motility?
Adrenergic agonists increase "fight-or-flight" and antagonists decrease it?
So if something is a Beta blocker, it "stops" or decreases the SNS thereby decreasing the fight or flight response, lowering HR, BP, etc.?
Ugh, this is all probably gibberish.
HELLPPPPP. Everytime I have it, I spin myself back around. I know its more simple than I'm making it, but this is seriously stalling studying for my patho exam!!!!
Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN
20,908 Posts
any time....we have some wonderful folks here.:)