Pharmacology · single question

Which vasoconstrictor is contraindicated (or should be used with the most caution) in a patient with hyperthyroidism?

  1. Norepinephrine
  2. Epinephrine
  3. Levonordefrin
  4. Amitriptyline
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Correct answer: B. Epinephrine

Patients with uncontrolled or poorly controlled hyperthyroidism have an exaggerated sensitivity to circulating catecholamines, and dental local anesthesia textbooks specifically caution against (or limit) the use of epinephrine-containing local anesthetics in this population due to the risk of triggering a thyrotoxic/cardiovascular crisis. (Amitriptyline isn't itself a vasoconstrictor — it's a tricyclic antidepressant whose interaction concern with vasoconstrictors is a separate topic.)

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