Autonomic Nervous System Regulation
4.5 ANS Medication Classes and Nursing Considerations
Open Resources for Nursing (Open RN)
Classes of medication, categorized according to neuroreceptor, are further discussed in more detail below. Figure 4.5 summarizes how ANS drugs are classified.
Table 4.5[1] further contrasts agonist and antagonist medications for each ANS neuroreceptor.
Table 4.2 Comparison of Prototype Medications that Stimulate Versus Inhibit PNS and SNS Receptors
Receptor |
Stimulation (Agonist) |
Inhibition (Antagonist) |
|---|---|---|
| Nicotinic |
|
|
| Muscarinic |
|
|
| Alpha-1 (found in smooth muscles) |
|
|
| Alpha-2 (found in brain and periphery) |
|
|
| Beta-1 (found on heart and kidneys) |
|
|
| Beta-2 (found on the lungs) |
|
|
| Catecholamines stimulate multiple adrenergic receptors |
|
|
Supplementary Videos: See the supplementary videos below related to sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system medications.
Media Attributions
- ANS drugs
- This work is a derivative of Daily Med by U.S. National Library of Medicine in the public domain ↵
- Forciea, B. (2018, January 12). Sympathetic nervous system drugs. [Video]. YouTube. All rights reserved. Video used with permission. https://youtu.be/-e_s-jTPtm4 ↵
- Forciea, B. (2018, February 2). Parasympathetic nervous system drugs. [Video]. YouTube. All rights reserved. Video used with permission. https://youtu.be/ZSRk_NkbBPg ↵