Mepivacaine: Effects, Uses & Risks

Mepivacaine is a medical agent that is primarily used as a locally acting anesthetic. In this context, the drug is used to numb areas all over the body. Mepivacaine is also used for so-called conduction anesthesia. In this type of anesthesia, entire nerve cords are anesthetized.

What is mepivacaine?

The pharmacological substance mepivacaine is usually considered to belong to the category of local anesthetics. The drug is used in connection with so-called conduction and infiltration anesthesia. In this process, the drug is injected into the tissue of the corresponding body region to achieve local anesthesia of the site. In addition, mepivacaine is also used in pain therapy. In addition, it is possible to switch off the sympathetic nerve with the help of the pharmacological substance mepivacaine. In this way, pain caused by the so-called sympathetic nerve can be relieved. In medical jargon, this form of application of mepivacaine is also referred to as a sympathetic nerve blockade. Basically, mepivacaine is a lipophilic substance that binds to approximately 70 percent of the proteins present in the plasma of the blood. In addition, the drug mepivacaine is characterized by a relatively rapid onset of action. The half-life of the substance mepivacaine in the plasma of the blood is about three hours. Basically, the drug mepivacaine, together with the active ingredient articaine, belongs to a category of drugs that distribute themselves according to a certain pattern within the cerebrospinal fluid after administration.

Pharmacologic action

The mechanism of action of mepivacaine is very specific, as the substance primarily affects the permeability of membranes of cells. This plays a particularly important role for sodium ions, whose behavior is thus altered because mepivacaine prevents further influx of the ions. In this way, the action potential of the respective cell is no longer maintained. For this reason, the excitation of the cell that usually occurs is absent. As a result of this mechanism, there is no sensation of pain in the corresponding area of the body. The individual mode of action of mepivacaine also depends on the respective type of application. Central to this are primarily conduction and infiltration anesthesia as well as sympathetic blockade. Basically, the active ingredient is a locally acting anesthetic that is used to treat pain. The nerve fibers are blocked for a relatively long time, and it is a reversible anesthetic. This applies to the so-called unconscious nerve fibers within the human organism. In addition, the drug mepivacaine also affects the so-called sensory nerves, which are responsible for regulating movements. In addition, mepivacaine affects nerves related to the activity of the heart. In principle, it is possible to anesthetize the corresponding fibers with the drug. The substance mepivacaine affects the channels of sodium ions. These play an important role in the electrical charge of the cells, which results in the transmission of stimuli, for example pain. If the channels are tight, no ions flow into the nerve cell. Thus, the nerve is not excited. In the majority of cases, the active substance mepivacaine is used in the form of saline. In this form, the substance moves into the corresponding nerve cell and develops its specific effect there. In an acidic environment, however, the salt does not split into hydrochloride and mepivacaine, so the pain is not sufficiently relieved.

Medical application and use

The drug mepivacaine is used primarily for local anesthesia. It is used primarily for infiltration as well as conduction anesthesia. In the context of conduction anesthesia, use in connection with peripheral blockade of certain nerves is common. Basically, the substance mepivacaine is characterized by strong diffusion, which is evident in the affected body tissue. The effect is also comparatively rapid, lasting between one and a half and three hours. In addition to local anesthesia, mepivacaine is also used to anesthetize entire areas of the body.The corresponding regions become insensitive to pain due to the action of the substance mepivacaine.

Risks and side effects

The substance mepivacaine implies various undesirable side effects and potential interactions with other drugs and substances. Typical side effects of the drug mepivacaine include vomiting, nausea, low blood pressure or hypertension, and dizziness. Occasional side effects from the drug mepivacaine include, for example, disturbances in hearing and vision, tremor, convulsions, a numb tongue, disturbances in speech, ringing in the ears, and loss of consciousness. There are also a number of rare side effects from mepivacaine. These include, for example, disturbances of the heart rhythm, injured nerves, disturbances of the function of nerves, inflamed soft cerebral membrane (arachnoiditis), allergic reactions to the active substance, double vision, discomfort during breathing, as well as cardiac arrest in the worst case. The drug is not to be used if a person has nerve conduction disorders, hypotension, or decompensated heart failure.