Cardiac Pharmacology Flashcards
(20 cards)
What is angina pectoris?
Chest pain due to insufficient blood flow to heart muscle.
What causes angina?
Imbalance between myocardial oxygen supply and demand.
What is the mechanism of nitrates in treating angina?
Dilate veins and reduce preload, decreasing cardiac workload.
How do beta-blockers help in angina?
Reduce heart rate and contractility, lowering oxygen demand.
What is the role of calcium channel blockers in angina?
Reduce afterload and oxygen demand by dilating arteries.
What is an example of a beta-blocker used for cardiac conditions?
Propranolol.
What is the major risk of using beta-blockers in heart failure?
They can worsen acute decompensated heart failure.
What is an arrhythmia?
An abnormal heart rhythm.
What are anti-arrhythmic drugs used for?
To correct abnormal heart rhythms.
What is the action of sodium channel blockers in arrhythmias?
They inhibit depolarization and stabilize the cardiac membrane.
How does cocaine affect the heart?
Increases heart rate and blood pressure, raises myocardial oxygen demand.
How does alcohol in small amounts affect the cardiovascular system?
May cause mild vasodilation and lower risk of heart disease (in moderation).
What can chronic alcohol abuse cause in the heart?
Dilated cardiomyopathy.
weakened heart muscles
What are the effects of cocaine on coronary arteries?
Constrict coronary arteries, limiting blood supply.
Why is cocaine dangerous in people with heart disease?
It exacerbates ischemia and risk of myocardial infarction.
What receptor is primarily stimulated by cocaine?
Adrenergic receptors (particularly alpha and beta). (they release norepinephrine and epinephrine which increase blood pressure and heart rate)
How does excessive sympathetic stimulation affect the heart?
Increases heart workload, oxygen demand, and risk of arrhythmia.
What cardiac conditions can alcohol abuse worsen?
Hypertension, cardiomyopathy, arrhythmias.
What does an increase in heart oxygen demand lead to?
Ischemia and angina.
How do beta-blockers lower oxygen demand in the heart?
By reducing heart rate and force of contraction.
