Weeks 6 & 7 Must-Know Notes — Notes OmpathStudy

Study Weeks 6 & 7 Must-Know Notes with clear, structured coverage of the key concepts in Basic Pharmacology I. Designed for MBChB students preparing for...

Cell Wall Inhibitors Protein Synthesis Inhibitors Quinolones Folate Antagonists Antimycobacterials Key Points ## Cell Wall Inhibitors Protein Synthesis Inhibitors Quinolones Folate Antagonists Antimycobacterials ## WEEK 6 — CELL WALL INHIBITORS ## Beta-Lactams — Core Recap - MOA : Mimic D-Ala-D-Ala → bind PBPs (transpeptidases) irreversibly → no peptidoglycan crosslinking → osmotic lysis → bactericidal, time-dependent - Beta-lactam ring is essential for activity — beta-lactamases cleave this ring = resistance ### Penicillins Drug Spectrum Key Clinical Use --- --- --- Benzylpenicillin (Pen G) Narrow Gram+ Strep, meningitis, syphilis, endocarditis Phenoxymethylpenicillin (Pen V) Narrow Gram+ Oral; strep throat; asplenia prophylaxis Flucloxacillin MSSA only Staph skin, bone, endocarditis Amoxicillin Gram+, some Gram- RTI, UTI, H. pylori , Listeria Co-amoxiclav Broad + anaerobes Bites, abscesses, mixed infections Piperacillin-tazobactam Broad + Pseudomonas Severe hospital infections, febrile neutropenia - Flucloxacillin = penicillinase-resistant → used specifically for S. aureus (MSSA) - Flucloxacillin side effect : cholestatic hepatitis (especially prolonged use, elderly) ### Cephalosporins — Generation Rules Generation Example Key Coverage --- --- --- 1st Cefalexin, Cefazolin Gram+ (surgical prophylaxis) 2nd Cefuroxime Gram+ + better Gram- 3rd Ceftriaxone, Ceftazidime Gram- (meningitis); Ceftazidime = Pseudomonas 4th Cefepime Pseudomonas + Gram+ 5th Ceftaroline MRSA activity Detailed Notes --- WEEK 6 — CELL WALL INHIBITORS Beta-Lactams — Core Recap - MOA : Mimic D-Ala-D-Ala → bind PBPs (transpeptidases) irreversibly → no peptidoglycan crosslinking → osmotic lysis → bactericidal, time-dependent - Beta-lactam ring is essential for activity — beta-lactamases cleave this ring = resistance Penicillins Drug Spectrum Key Clinical Use --- --- --- Benzylpenicillin (Pen G) Narrow Gram+ Strep, meningitis, syphilis, endocarditis Phenoxymethylpenicillin (Pen V) Narrow Gram+ Oral; strep throat; asplenia prophylaxis Flucloxacillin MSSA only Staph skin, bone, endocarditis Amoxicillin Gram+, some Gram- RTI, UTI, H. pylori , Listeria Co-amoxiclav Broad + anaerobes Bites, abscesses, mixed infections Piperacillin-tazobactam Broad + Pseudomonas Severe hospital infections, febrile neutropenia Flucloxacillin = penicillinase-resistant → used specifically for S. aureus (MSSA) - Flucloxacillin side effect : cholestatic hepatitis (especially prolonged use, elderly) Cephalosporins — Generation Rules Generation Example Key Coverage --- --- --- 1st Cefalexin, Cefazolin Gram+ (surgical prophylaxis) 2nd Cefuroxime Gram+ + better Gram- 3rd Ceftriaxone, Ceftazidime Gram- (meningitis); Ceftazidime = Pseudomonas 4th Cefepime Pseudomonas + Gram+ 5th Ceftaroline MRSA activity Higher generation = better Gram-negative, less Gram-positive (except 5th gen) - Ceftriaxone : once daily, biliary excretion, meningitis, gonorrhoea, CAP - Ceftazidime-avibactam : covers carbapenemase-producers (KPC, OXA-48) Carbapenems Drug Key Feature --- --- Meropenem Broadest; CNS safe; Pseudomonas Imipenem-cilastatin Cilastatin prevents renal inactivation; seizure risk Ertapenem Once daily; NO Pseudomonas/Acinetobacter Doripenem Similar to meropenem Resistant to most beta-lactamases except carbapenemases (KPC, NDM, OXA-48) - Ertapenem trap : looks like a carbapenem but misses Pseudomonas — don't use empirically for suspected MDR Monobactams - Aztreonam : Gram-negative only, no anaerobes, no Gram+ - Safe in penicillin allergy (minimal cross-reactivity) - Used in CF, febrile neutropenia (penicillin-allergic) Beta-Lactamase Inhibitors Combination Inhibitor Extra Coverage Gained --- --- --- Co-amoxiclav Clavulanate Beta-lactamase producing organisms Tazocin Tazobactam As above + Pseudomonas Ceftazidime-avibactam Avibactam KPC, OXA-48 carbapenemases Meropenem-vaborbactam Vaborbactam KPC carbapenemases --- Glycopeptides Vancomycin - MOA : Binds D-Ala-D-Ala terminus → physically blocks transglycosylation + transpeptidation - Gram-positive only (too large for Gram-negative outer membrane) - Bactericidal against staph; bacteriostatic against enterococci - Routes: IV systemic; oral = C. diff only (not absorbed) - TDM : AUC/MIC 400–600 or trough 10–20 mg/L - Red Man Syndrome : histamine release → flushing, rash, hypotension → NOT allergy → slow infusion, antihistamine - Toxicity : nephrotoxicity (↑ risk with aminoglycosides), ototoxicity Teicoplanin - Same MOA as vancomycin - Longer half-life → once daily (after loading) - Less nephrotoxic; IM or IV VRE Resistance Mechanisms Gene Resistance --- --- VanA Vancomycin + teicoplanin resistant (D-Ala-D- Lac ) VanB Vancomycin only resistant; teicoplanin susceptible VanC Low-level, intrinsic in E. gallinarum --- Other Cell Wall Agents Fosfomycin - Inhibits MurA (first step in peptidoglycan synthesis) - Oral or IV - Uncomplicated UTI (single oral dose), MDR Gram-negatives (IV — combination) - Well tolerated; mainly GI side effects Daptomyci
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