Cardiovascular Drugs

Question 1

Is the pressure higher in the arteries or in the veins?

Answer 1

Arteries (120). Veins are about (2).

Question 2

Why is their lower pressure in the right ventricle?

Answer 2

To make sure it does not drown the lungs.

Question 3

Why is the left ventricle thicker than the right ventricle?

Answer 3

Thickness allows for increased pressure to help move blood.

Question 4

How does one calculate BP?

Answer 4

Cardiac output * Total Peripheral Resistance

Question 5

What is Total Peripheral Resistance?

Answer 5

(constriction) it is a measure of total resistance to the flow of the system.

Question 6

What is cardiac output?

Answer 6

The amount of blood pumped from the left ventricle per minute. Which is also stroke volume * heart rate

Question 7

What is pulse pressure?

Answer 7

The difference between the systolic and diastolic pressure.

Question 8

What is stroke volume?

Answer 8

the amount of blood pumped per beat from left ventricle

Question 9

What is venous return?

Answer 9

The amount of blood that returns to the right heart per minute.

Question 10

What is cardiac contractility?

Answer 10

The ability for the heart to contract, and measure of muscular strength.

Question 11

Where is blood pressure measured?

Answer 11

arteries because they experience the most pressure

Question 12

What is the blood pressure of an individual who has hypertension?

Answer 12

it is >140/90mmHg.

Question 13

What is systolic blood pressure?

Answer 13

The maximum arterial pressure during contraction of the heart. (the higher number)

Question 14

What is diastolic blood pressure?

Answer 14

The relaxation/re-filling of the heart between beats. (the lower number)

Question 15

What is isolated systolic pressure?

Answer 15

If you only have a high systolic pressure. (due to stiffness of arteries)

Question 16

What is isolated diastolic pressure?

Answer 16

If you only have a high diastolic pressure (narrowing of arteries)

Question 17

What is systolic-diastolic blood pressure?

Answer 17

Both the systolic and diastolic pressures are too high.

Question 18

In the elderly population, what is the most common form of hypertension?

Answer 18

Isolated systolic hypertension.

Question 19

Who else is at risk for hypertension?

Answer 19

Pregnant women

Question 20

What is essential hypertension?

Answer 20

The most common form of hypertension (> 80%) of cases. It due to an unknown reason.

Question 21

What is secondary hypertension?

Answer 21

Hypertension causes by a secondary medical condition. For example: Reno-vascular hypertension (narrowing or arteries).
Pheochromocytoma: tumour that releases too much epinephrine. Epinephrine is a hormone that controls heart rate and blood pressure.
Aldosteronism: Causes sodium retention (increases blood volume)

Question 22

What does high blood pressure do to the heart?

Answer 22

High blood pressure makes the arteries less stretchy and damages the arterial walls. This causes microtears in the walls that make it easier for fatty deposits to build up and limit circulation.

Question 23

What are the symptoms of hypertension?

Answer 23

Usually it is asymptomatic but in severe cases there can be kidney damage, increased mortality, heart failure or stroke.

Question 24

What kind of strokes are there?

Answer 24

Bloot clot (ischemic stroke) 
haemorrhage stroke (blood pressure causes vessels to damage and burst)

Question 25

What kind of antihypertensives are used to treat hypertension?

Answer 25

A - ACE inhibitors, Alpha 1 Receptor, Angiotensin receptor blockers B - Beta Blockers D - Diuretics

Question 26

How do diuretics work?

Answer 26

Too much sodium in the diet will cause water retention. Too much water in the blood increase BV which as a result increases BP. Diuretics decrease Na+ reabsorption and and increase urine flow. They also help dilate arterial vessels, which as a result make them less narrow.

Question 27

Diuretics...

Answer 27

Decrease BV, decrease CO, and decrease TPR.

Question 28

What kind of drug is a diuretic?

Answer 28

-thiazides

Question 29

What other diseases can diuretics help to treat?

Answer 29

Edema, which is the accumulation of fluid in certain tissues.

Question 30

The process for ACE inhibitors

Answer 30

The liver produces a molecule known as Angiotensin. When a decrease of BP is sensed in the arteries, the kidney detects this change and produces Renin. Renin enters the bloodstream and converts Angiotensin into Angiotensin 1. Angiotensin 1 circulates the blood until it comes into contact with a membrane bound enzyme known as ACE. ACE has the responsibility of converting Angiotensin 1 to Angiotensin 2.

Question 31

What does Angiotensin 2 do?

Answer 31

It increases blood pressure through a variety of mechanisms. - Vasoconstriction (Increase in TPR), or it also initiates the release of the Aldosterone hormone. Aldosterone sends signals that's will increase sodium in the body, and cause BV to increase, hence increasing CO.

Question 32

How do ACE inhibitors work?

Answer 32

They prevent A2 from being formed by inhibiting its synthesis hence decreasing aldosterone synthesis as well.

Question 33

What drugs are considered ACE inhibitors?

Answer 33

Captopril

Question 34

What are A2 Receptor Blockers?

Answer 34

They block A2 from binding to receptors. This decreases aldosterone synthesis and BP. It can also prevent heart failure.

Question 35

What drugs are categorized as A2 receptor blockers?

Answer 35

Losartan

Question 36

What do Alpha 1 receptor blockers do?

Answer 36

Blocks E and NE from stimulating receptors that cause contraction. In the lumen of the blood vessels, there are smooth muscle cells that can contract or widen the lumen. The smooth muscles have Alpha 1 Receptors. These receptors are stimulated by E and NE. This ends up stimulating contractions. (Decrease TPR, BP, VR and CO.)

Question 37

What drugs are categorized as Alpha 1 Receptor Blockers?

Answer 37

Prazosin

Question 38

What are the side effects of Prazosin?

Answer 38

- reflex tachycardia (the sudden decrease in BP causes body to react by rapidly increasing the HR again) - Orthostatic hypotension (low venous return) standing too quickly causes blood pressure to fall too fast, and causes blood to pool. As a result, and individual may experience syncope (fainting).

Question 39

What are Beta Blockers?

Answer 39

Beta Blockers inhibit beta receptors which are important for sympathetic activity. Pacemaker cells in the heart regulate how fast your heart is pumping. Pacemaker cells have beta receptors on them. When E and NE bind to them, it increases the BP. - Additionally cardiomyocytes, (cardiac muscle cells) are used for contraction and eject blood. Beta receptors in that area increase power of contractions.

Question 40

What are the side effects of Beta Blockers?

Answer 40

myocardial depression, less exercise tolerance and bronchospasm.

Question 41

What drugs are classified as Beta Blockers?

Answer 41

Propranol and Metroporol.

Question 42

Metropolol is selective for...

Answer 42

B1 receptors.

Question 43

Proporonal blocks

Answer 43

both B1 and B2.

Question 44

The side effect of Bronchospasms occur in which drug?

Answer 44

Propronal

Question 45

Beta blockers are also used to treat....?

Answer 45

Angina (severe pain in the chest).