Master Norepinephrine with Picmonic for Nursing RN

Norepinephrine is a direct agonist at α receptors, affecting both α₁ and α₂ receptors. It also has acts at β₁ receptors, with little activity at β₂ receptors.

Norepinephrine is an agonist at β₁ adrenergic receptors. Activity at β₁ receptors leads to increased heart rate, increased heart contractility, increased renin release and lipolysis. Norepinephrine has little activity at β₂ adrenergic receptors.

This drug will raise diastolic blood pressure and total peripheral resistance, more so than epinephrine due to its vasoconstrictor activity and lack of effect on β₂ receptors in the skeletal muscle vascular bed. It is used in emergencies such as neurogenic or septic shock.
It should be noted that norepinephrine also has use in treatment of attention disorders and in depression.

Decreased renal blood flow may be seen with norepinephrine administration, causing impaired kidney function.