Adrenaline and Noradrenaline: Your Body's Two 'Fight-or-Flight' Heroes (Norepinephrine vs. Epinephrine)

Imagine a dog suddenly jumping on you while you're walking down the street. Or that nervous feeling you get before an important exam... Your heart starts beating faster, your body gets cold and sweaty, your eyes get big. For a few seconds, your whole body prepares for a big fight or a run. This is what we call the ' fight-or-flight ' response. Behind all this are two superheroes in our body. They are Epinephrine (Epinephrine) and Norepinephrine (Norepinephrine). We're going to talk about these two today.

Who says Epinephrine and Norepinephrine?

Simply put, these two are messengers in our body. They can both do two things.

1. As hormones: A hormone is a chemical messenger that travels through our blood and tells various organs to "do this." Epinephrine and Norepinephrine are mainly produced by two small glands located above our kidneys (the adrenal glands).

2. As neurotransmitters : These are chemicals that transmit messages between the trillions of nerve cells in our brain and nervous system. They help control everything from our heartbeat to our emotions.

Both of these belong to a group of chemicals called catecholamines . The other major member of this group is dopamine . All three of these chemicals work together to prepare your body for when you're stressed. But dopamine is best known for its effects on things like our happiness, memory, and attention.

Sometimes, if you have persistent symptoms such as high blood pressure that is difficult to control, frequent anxiety, nausea, and severe headaches , your doctor may order blood and urine tests to check your levels of these catecholamines. Persistently high levels of these can be a sign of a very rare type of cancer of the glands surrounding the kidneys.

How do these two work differently?

Although epinephrine and norepinephrine work together, their main roles are slightly different. Let's take a look at how.

How are these used as medicine?

Because both of these can have a rapid and profound effect on the body, doctors also use them as medicine.

When to give Norepinephrine

Norepinephrine is a medication that is mainly given to increase and maintain blood pressure that has dropped dangerously low in emergency situations. Such situations include:

• Cardiac Arrest
• Septic Shock (life-threatening shock caused by a severe infection)
• During spinal anesthesia (Spinal Anesth ESI a)
• In reactions to some medications
• In cases such as fluid accumulation around the heart (pericardial tamponade)

Additionally, medications for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and some antidepressants work by increasing levels of norepinephrine in the brain.

When to give Epinephrine (Adrenaline)

Synthetic epinephrine is used as a medicine in very important situations.

• During cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
• Keep the pupil dilated during eye surgery.
• Increase blood pressure in septic shock
• Open the airways in asthma (as an inhaler)

The importance of Epinephrine for Anaphylaxis

One of the most important uses of epinephrine is as an emergency treatment for severe, life-threatening allergies, called anaphylaxis.

Imagine someone suddenly having difficulty eating something like peanuts, shrimp, or being stung by a wasp.

• Throat feels tight and swollen
• It's getting hard to breathe.
• Coughing, sneezing.
• It feels like a nightmare.

In times like these, the life-saving medicine is epinephrine. This is usually given through an auto-injector pen (like an EpiPen). People with severe allergies are often told by their doctors to keep this pen with them at all times. Sometimes, you need to inject it as soon as symptoms start. It can quickly control severe symptoms, such as shortness of breath.

What happens if these are not enough in the body?

Sometimes our bodies can produce less of these hormones. The reasons for this can be complex, and only a doctor can figure it out.

Problems associated with low norepinephrine levels:

• Anxiety and Depression
• ADHD
• Headache
• Memory and sleep problems
• Low blood pressure (Hypotension)
• Low blood sugar (Hypoglycemia)

Problems associated with low epinephrine levels:

• Anxiety and Depression
• Headache
• Sleep problems
• Low blood sugar (Hypoglycemia)

If you continue to have symptoms like these, the best thing to do is talk to your doctor.

Adrenaline, Epinephrine, Noradrenaline, Norepinephrine, fight or flight, hormones, neurotransmitters, high blood pressure, mental health, anaphylaxis, anaphylaxis, allergies