Clinical pharmacology and therapeutics
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Clin. Pharmacol. Ther. · Jun 2015
Reversal of opioid-induced respiratory depression by BK-channel blocker GAL021: A pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modeling study in healthy volunteers.
Opioid-induced respiratory depression (OIRD) is a serious and potentially life-threatening complication of opioid overdose, abuse, and misuse. An option to avert OIRD is to treat patients on strong opioids with respiratory stimulants that do not interact with the opioid system and consequently do not compromise opioid analgesic efficacy. ⋯ The authors performed a population pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic (PKPD) analysis on the ability of GAL021 to reverse alfentanil-induced respiratory depression in 12 male volunteers using an isohypercapnic experimental design. The analysis showed that (1) GAL021 interacts in a multiplicative fashion with alfentanil and GAL021, which predicts that GAL021 efficacy is reduced at low ventilation levels; (2) GAL021 has a rapid onset/offset with a blood-effect site equilibration half-life not different from zero; and (3) GAL021 displays ceiling in its efficacy to reverse OIRD.
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This issue of Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics focuses on cannabinoids. Our understanding of these interesting endogenous and synthetic compounds, and their role in the cannabinoid system, has evolved dramatically, in part because of the acquisition of new research tools. ⋯ Novel cannabinoid drugs are emerging for medicinal use (e.g., dronabinol, nabiximols) and as illicit drugs (e.g., Spice, K2) perpetuating the perception that cannabinoid drugs can be a friend or foe. This special issue will cover these various aspects of cannabinoid pharmacology and therapeutics ranging from basic chemistry, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and clinical trial results, to policy and education efforts in this area.