Dear Birdfeederlady,
Thank you for accepting my research as the official answer to a
very tough and non-straightforward question! Gender... huh!
Reaction... huh! CAT was nothing more than a triad of side effects?
Hmmmmm.
I?ve determined that CAT reaction is the reaction one feels after
searching for hours for s term that actually stands for Can?t Answer
This!
Someone has been seeking this answer for 2 years!
http://www.thedoctorslounge.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=725
This must be a trick question. I'm going to present all my
findings, and trust you to let me know. If I were you, I'd present ALL
the possibilities, even if there is no mention of "reaction".
Catalepsy
?The trancelike phase of catalepsy in which the patient is conscious
but cannot move or speak.?
http://www.pharma-lexicon.com/searches/medterms.php
?catatonic reaction?
http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic3/relpax_ad.htm
Surely not this!:
http://psy.rin.ru/eng/article/192-101.html
Catatonia
?This syndrome occurs in children, adolescents, and adults; is
associated with a heterogeneous group of comorbid conditions; and is
characterized by a variety of symptoms and signs of impairment of the
expression of voluntary thoughts and movements. Typically, the
syndrome of catatonia is episodic, with periods of remission. The
accurate prompt diagnosis of catatonia is crucial to prevent morbidity
and death in a variety of emergency medicine, psychiatric, neurologic,
medical, obstetric, and surgical settings and to institute effective
interventions, including benzodiazepines (eg, clonazepam, lorazepam,
midazolam), zolpidem, atypical neuroleptics, tricyclic
antidepressants, muscle relaxants, amobarbital, reserpine, thyroid
hormone, lithium carbonate, bromocriptine, and electroconvulsive
treatments?
http://www.emedicine.com/neuro/topic708.htm
Catamenia
Catamenia is an archaic term for menstruation.
http://www.paul_smith.doctors.org.uk/ArchaicMedicalTerms.htm
?But is our old friend Pye Henry Chavasse (see MD #4), who used
language astonishingly similar to that found in Very Personally Yours
and The Story of Menstruation in his 1878 Advice to a Wife. The
italics, by the way, appear in the original:
Menstruation - "the periods" - the appearance of the catamenia or the
menses - is then one of the most important epochs of a girl's life. It
is the boundary-line, the landmark between childhood and womanhood; it
is the threshold, so to speak, of awoman's life. Her body now develops
and expands, her mental capacity enlarges and improves. She then
ceases to be a child and becomes a woman. She is now, for the first
time, able to conceive.?
http://www.mum.org/growingup.htm
Codeine + Allergy
??codeine does not stimulate the immune defense system to produce
antibodies against codeine, so the hives and itching are not due to a
true allergy.?
http://www.hopkinshospital.org/health_info/Allergy_Asthma/Reading/med_allergy.html
?Tricyclic antidepressants (amitriptyline [e.g., Elavil], amoxapine
[e.g., Asendin], clomipramine [e.g., Anafranil], desipramine [e.g.,
Pertofrane], doxepin [e.g., Sinequan], imipramine [e.g., Tofranil],
nortriptyline [e.g., Aventyl], protriptyline [e.g., Vivactil],
trimipramine [e.g., Surmontil])?The chance of side effects may be
increased; the combination of meperidine (e.g., Demerol) and MAO
inhibitors is especially dangerous?
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/uspdi/202390.html
?The commonest side-effects of therapeutic doses of Codeine are
constipation, nausea and vomiting, dizziness and drowsiness. Very
rarely skin rashes may occur in patients hypersensitive to Codeine.
Codeine may cause respiratory depression, bradycardia, circulatory
failure, hypotension, orthostatic hypotension, palpitations, deepening
coma, confusion, euphoria, mood changes, restlessness, flushing,
hypothermia, increased intracranial pressure, miosis, dry mouth,
muscle rigidity, pruritus, urticaria, sweating, urinary retention,
uteric and biliary spasm, and an antidiuretic effect.?
?Codeine may affect the activity of other medicines by delaying their
absorption. The depressant effects are aggravated by alcohol,
anaesthetics, hypnotics, sedatives, tricyclic anti-depressants and
phenothiazines.?
?Codeine should be used with caution or in reduced doses in patients
with adrenocortical insufficiency. Should be used with caution with
patients with obstructive bowel disorders. The dosage should be
reduced in the debilitated and in the elderly. Should be used with
caution or reduced doses in patients with hypothyroidism, myasthenia
gravis, prostatic hypertrophy and shock. Prolonged use of high doses
of codeine may lead to dependence.?
http://home.intekom.com/pharm/sad-otc/sedinol.html
Gender and Pain
?It is now widely believed that pain affects men and women
differently. While the sex hormones estrogen and testosterone
certainly play a role in this phenomenon, psychology and culture, too,
may account at least in part for differences in how men and women
receive pain signals. For example, young children may learn to respond
to pain based on how they are treated when they experience pain. Some
children may be cuddled and comforted, while others may be encouraged
to tough it out and to dismiss their pain.
Many investigators are turning their attention to the study of gender
differences and pain. Women, many experts now agree, recover more
quickly from pain, seek help more quickly for their pain, and are less
likely to allow pain to control their lives. They also are more likely
to marshal a variety of resources-coping skills, support, and
distraction-with which to deal with their pain.
Research in this area is yielding fascinating results. For example,
male experimental animals injected with estrogen, a female sex
hormone, appear to have a lower tolerance for pain-that is, the
addition of estrogen appears to lower the pain threshold. Similarly,
the presence of testosterone, a male hormone, appears to elevate
tolerance for pain in female mice: the animals are simply able to
withstand pain better. Female mice deprived of estrogen during
experiments react to stress similarly to male animals. Estrogen,
therefore, may act as a sort of pain switch, turning on the ability to
recognize pain.?
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/chronic_pain/detail_chronic_pain.htm#23883084
?Physiological and psychological responses to acute pain are directed
toward escape from the painful situation. Acute pain usually triggers
a neuroendocrine stress response, which is proportional to the
intensity of the pain. This is a variant of the fight-or-flight
response. Catecholamines are released, increasing heart rate, blood
pressure, and systemic vascular resistance. Other effects of this
catecholamine release may include urinary retention, ileus, stress
ulcers, increased work of breathing, nausea, and constipation.
The predominant emotional response to acute pain is anxiety, although
anger toward caretakers may also be expressed. These emotional
responses indicate that the patient believes the pain to be temporary
and "fixable", and represent an attempt to escape from the painful
stimulus.
Acute pain usually responds well to non-steroidal pain relievers
and/or narcotics. Frequently, neural blockade can effectively relieve
acute pain and de-crease the likelihood of developing a chronic pain
syndrome.?
http://www.med.umich.edu/pain/apainmgt.htm
Could be your instructor is referring to morphine. (Codeine and
morphine are both opiates)
?There are several precautions to be noted with the administration of
morphine. Morphine sulfate may cause allergic reactions in
sulfite-sensitive people, which is more frequently seen in asthmatics.
26 Related to the fetus, morphine readily crosses the placenta and
should be used with caution in women delivering preterm infants
because of the respiratory depressant effect on the neonate. 26?
http://www.nursingcenter.com/prodev/ce_article.asp?tid=451193
Catecholamines
?The adrenal glands produce large amounts of catecholamines as a
reaction to stress. The main catecholamines are epinephrine
(adrenaline), norepinephrine (noradrenaline), and dopamine. They break
down into the compounds vanillylmandelic acid (VMA) and metanephrine,
which are passed in the urine.
When released into the blood, catecholamines increase heart rate,
blood pressure, breathing rate, muscle strength, and mental alertness.
They also reduce the amount of blood going to the skin and increase
blood flow to the major organs (such as the brain, heart, and
kidneys).
Certain rare tumors (such as a pheochromocytoma) can increase the
amount of catecholamines in the blood, resulting in high blood
pressure.?
http://www.questdiagnostics.com/kbase/topic/medtest/hw6078/descrip.htm
?Codeine analgesia is wholly or mostly due to its metabolism to
morphine by the cytochrome P450 enzyme CYP2D6, which shows significant
genetic variation in activity.?
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12453926&dopt=Abstract
?A. Opiates
Opiates such as morphine, meperidine, codeine, and narcotic analogs
can stimulate mast cell-mediated release directly without an
immunologic mechanism. Patients with this problem exhibit generalized
pruritus and urticaria after injection of the respective narcotic.
Occasional mild wheezing may be noted. Skin tests to opiates are
difficult to interpret because these agents cause release of histamine
from skin mast cells in all patients. Very dilute skin test
concentrations have been recommended if an IgE-mediated reaction is
suspected. 152 Some opiate reactions can be attenuated by
preadministration of antihistamines. Narcotic-induced pseudoallergic
reactions are rarely life-threatening. If there is a positive history
of such a reaction to an agent and analgesia is required, a
non-narcotic alternative pain medication should be selected. If this
does not control pain, graded challenge with an alternative opiate up
to a dose that will control pain should be tried. A single case of a
documented IgE-mediated reaction to morphine has been reported. 153?
http://www.jcaai.org/pp/dh_8_pseudoallergicreactions.asp
?As an example, a woman had a surgery to remove a tumor and was
given codeine as a pain reliever. Although she was doing well after
the surgery, as soon as she began treatment with codeine she developed
a full-body rash, difficulty breathing, and an irregular heartbeat.
When she was taken off the codeine, her reaction disappeared. Upon
further study, it was found that she lacked the enzyme in her blood
that metabolized (broke it down into different components) the codeine
into morphine and other substances, so she was essentially being
overdosed with codeine. The lack of the enzyme was directly related
to a variation in the gene that produced it. This genetic variation
is a polymorphism between normal individuals and those who carry it.
Sometimes these polymorphisms can cause a very serious reaction in an
individual that could lead to death.
In some cases, individuals ?hypermetabolize? drugs. This occurs when
there is too much of an enzyme present that breaks down the helpful
drug too quickly, leading to a lack of response to the drug. This can
happen when too many copies of the gene are made and too much enzyme
is produced. In other cases, the special receptor that the drug binds
to on cells or tissues is missing, again because of a variation in the
gene that makes the receptor protein. When there is no receptor to
bind the drug, the drug may not have any affect on the cells or
tissues that it should.?
http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/features/genetics-4.html
Adrenal Medullary Hormones (Women collect more stress-related fat?)
http://arbl.cvmbs.colostate.edu/hbooks/pathphys/endocrine/adrenal/medhormones.html
CATECHOLAMINE-RELATED MOLECULES & DISORDERS
http://www.neuro.wustl.edu/neuromuscular/lab/catechol.htm
No review, but use of Catecholamine reaction terminology!
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=6002720&dopt=Abstract
Catecholamines
http://www.isma.org.uk/stressnw/malestat.htm
?Certain foods can increase catecholamine levels including coffee,
tea, bananas, chocolate, cocoa, citrus fruits, and vanilla. Avoid
these foods for several days prior to the test, particularly if both
serum and urine catecholamines are to be measured.
Avoid other interfering factors:
? Acute stress
? Vigorous exercise
Consult your health care provider regarding the need to discontinue
potentially interfering drugs. Drugs that can increase catecholamine
measurements include caffeine, levodopa, lithium, aminophylline,
chloral hydrate, clonidine, disulfiram, erythromycin, insulin,
methenamine, methyldopa, nicotinic acid (large doses), quinidine,
tetracyclines, and nitroglycerin.
Drugs that can decrease catecholamine measurements include clonidine,
disulfiram, guanethidine, imipramine, MAO inhibitors, phenothiazines,
salicylates, and reserpine.?
http://www.drkoop.com/ency/93/003561.html
Note that this page mentions gender as a non-psychological factors
influencing catecholamine levels. Catecholamines are responsible for
the fight or flight syndrome.
?A possible explanation for these sex differences is that performance
stress is less challenging to women than to men. Emotional stress has
been found to have a more pronounced effect on catecholamine levels in
women (Lundberg, de Châ teau, Winberg & Frankenhaeuser, 1981) and
women in less traditional roles seem to respond to performance stress
with the same epinephrine output as their male colleagues (Collins &
Frankenhaeuser, 1978). More recent studies comparing men and women
matched for education and occupational level show that women may
respond by as much epinephrine output at work and during experimental
stress as men do (e.g., Frankenhaeuser et al., 1989).
Although, the possible influence of biological factors, such as
steroid sex hormones on catecholamine responses, cannot be excluded
(Wasilewska, Kobus and Bargiel, 1980; Tersman, Collins and Eneroth,
1991), it seems as if psychological factors and gender role patterns
are more important than biological factors for the sex differences in
catecholamine responses.?
The second, third and fourth illustrations, are charts depicting
levels of hormone in women compared to men, and women in labor and
childbirth.
?The catecholamines and their concomitant effects on other
physiological functions, such as blood pressure, heart rate and
lipolysis, may serve as objective indicators of the stress that an
individual is exposed to. However, these bodily effects are also
assumed to link psychosocial stress to increased health risks.
Longlasting elevated catecholamine levels are considered to contribute
to the development of atherosclerosis and predispose to myocardial
ischemia (Karasek et al., 1982; Krantz & Manuck, 1984; Rozanski et
al., 1988). The elevated catecholamine levels also make the blood more
prone to clotting, thus, reducing the risk of heavy bleeding in case
of tissue damage but, at the same time, increasing the risk of
arterial obstruction and myocardial infarcfion. The role of the
catecholamines in hypertension is also of great interest (e.g.,
Nelesen & Dimsdale, 1994).
Less is known about the role of the catecholamines in other health
problems. However, in the study of psychosocial aspects of
musculoskeletal disorders (e.g., Moon & Sauter, 1996), it is generally
assumed that psychological stress plays an important role by
influencing various bodily functions including muscle tension and,
thus, form a link to neck, shoulder and back pain problems (Lundberg &
Melin, 2002). In keeping with this, jobs with a high prevalence of
musculoskeletal disorders, such as repetitive assembly line work, are
characterized by highly elevated sympathetic arousal (cf. Table 3) and
slow unwinding after work (Johansson et al., 1978; Melin et al.,
1997). In addition, in a laboratory experiment (Lundberg et al.,
1994), positive correlations were found between blood pressure,
norepinephrine and mentally induced EMG activity of the trapezius
muscle.?
http://www.macses.ucsf.edu/Research/Allostatic/notebook/catecholamine.html
Class C Drugs
Cat C drugs:
Pregnancy Category C
?Animal reproduction studies have shown an adverse effect on the fetus
and there are no adequate and well-controlled studies in humans, but
potential benefits may warrant use of the drug in pregnant women
despite potential risks.?
http://www.answers.com/topic/pregnancy-category
Codeine in reasonable amounts is probably safe. However,
indiscriminate use of codeine (Class C) during the first and second
trimesters has a potential for risk since defects such as cleft lip or
palate and hip dislocation have been reported. Meperidine and
methadone (both are Class B) and butorphanol (Class C) are probably
not teratogenic.
http://www.migraines.org/treatment/treather.htm
Other possibilities:
"When the CAT reactions is completed, the products are placed on
thin-layer chromatographic (TLC) sheets, placed in the appropriate
solvent (a mixture of chloroform and methanol) and allowed to migrate
up the TLC sheet which is exposed to X-ray film (figure 2). "
http://www.bio.davidson.edu/courses/genomics/method/CAT.html
cat stands for combined approach tympanoplasty
cat stands for common arterial trunk
cat stands for computerised axial tomography
cat stands for cytosine arabinoside adriamycin 6 thioguanine
http://www.drsref.com.au/cgi-bin/acronym.pl?start=0&perPage=10&search=cat&submit=Search
?Tryptase is a mast cell enzyme released during acute allergic
systemic reactions. Serum tryptase levels are more sensitive than
plasma histamine levels in diagnosing an Ana reaction because the
released histamine is rapidly catabolized whereas the tryptase levels
stay elevated for up to several hours after the onset of the
reaction.?
http://www.aaaai.org/aadmc/ate/drugreaction.html
?Pregnancy: Teratogenic Effects: Pregnancy Category C:
Codeine: A study in rats and rabbits reported no teratogenic effect of
codeine administered during the period of organogeneses in doses
ranging from 5 to 120 mg/kg. In the rat, doses at the 120 mg/kg level,
in the toxic range for the adult animal, were associated with an
increase in embryo resorption at the time of implantation. In another
study a single 100 mg/kg dose of codeine administered to pregnant mice
reportedly resulted in delayed ossification in the offspring.
There are no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women.
Acetaminophen and codeine phosphate should be used during pregnancy
only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the
fetus.
Nonteratogenic Effects: Dependence has been reported in newborns whose
mothers took opiates regularly during pregnancy. Withdrawal signs
include irritability, excessive crying, tremors, hyperreflexia, fever,
vomiting and diarrhea. These signs usually appear during the first few
days of life.
Labor and Delivery: Narcotic analgesics cross the placental barrier.
The closer to delivery and the larger the dose used, the greater the
possibility of respiratory depression in the newborn. Narcotic
analgesics should be avoided during labor if delivery of a premature
infant is anticipated. If the mother has received narcotic analgesics
during labor, newborn infants should be observed closely for signs of
respiratory depression. Resuscitation may be required (see
OVERDOSAGE). The effect of codeine, if any, on the later growth,
development, and functional maturation of the child is unknown.
Nursing Mothers: Acetaminophen and codeine are excreted in breast milk
in small amounts, but the significance of their effects on nursing
infants is not known. Because of the potential for serious adverse
reactions in nursing infants from acetaminophen and codeine, a
decision should be made whether to discontinue nursing or to
discontinue the drug, taking into account the importance of the drug
to the mother.?
http://www.druginfonet.com/index.php?pageID=acetamin.htm
I finally made a list of possible words that CAT could stand for, and
searched for combinations with codeine, women, reaction, etc.:
C: cardio, catatonic, catalepsy, consciousness, confusion, coma,
Cytochrome P450 catalase, catalysis, cataleptogenic, catastrophic,
constipation, complement, cortico-steroids
A: anaphylactic, angioedema, anxiety, abdominal pain,
antidepressants, addiction, allergic, antibodies
T: toxic, trigger, tingling, tolerance, T-cells, transfusion
Try passing these on and see. I truly think CAT stands for Can't
Answer This and this is a ploy to get students researching! I even
went through all my textbooks fm the 70's and found nothing more. It
seems to me that catecholamines are involved in an allergic reaction,
but I can find no straightforward information. I spoke to the
pharmacist at a local drugstore, who has never heard of this reaction
either, but also surmised it may have to do with catecholamines.
Sincerely, Crabcakes
By the way, I'm not a nurse, but many of my friends are or have been
RNs! I'm a medical technologist,(MT-ASCP) who is extremely interested
in medicine. My friends and I actually discuss syndromes,diagnoses,
symptoms, etc. when together, instead of recipes and gossip!
Search Terms
=============
Cat rxn
morphine + reaction
morphine reaction
Side effect + codeine
Adverse reactions + codeine
Estrogen + codeine + reaction
Opiates + reaction
Narcotics + reaction
Catecholamines + codeine + reaction
Catecholamines + codeine
Catamenia reaction
CAT phenomena
Catalepsy + codeine
pregnancy category c + reaction
CAT phenomena + codeine ?feline
CAT phenomena + morphine ?feline
Category C drugs + reaction
category C drugs + adverse reaction
reaction codeine hormones
reaction codeine + OC
reaction codeine + oral contraceptives
cataleptogenic action of analgesics
rare + reactions + codeine + women |
