Drugs which act on the heart

Question 1

Heart temporarily

deprived of oxygen

Answer 1

Angina

Question 2

Heart deprived of

oxygen

Answer 2

Heart attack

Question 3

Heart does not pump

properly

Answer 3

Heart failure

Question 4

Heart rhythm disturbed

Answer 4

Dysrhythmia

Question 5

What is coronary artery disease?

Answer 5

The disease is caused by plaque building up along the inner walls of the arteries of the heart, which narrows the lumen of arteries and reduces blood flow to the heart

Question 6

how do we prevent Coronary Artery Disease

Answer 6

Lifestyle interventions (diet, exercise, stop smoking)
Reduce blood pressure (medication)
Statins to reduce cholesterol

Question 7

Symptoms of angina are..

Answer 7

• have pain or discomfort in your chest – this can feel dull, heavy or tight and it may spread to your jaw, neck, arms, back or stomach.
• feel sweaty.
• feel sick.
• feel short of breath

Question 8

pain from angina results from cardiac ischaemia. what is cardiac ischaemia?

Answer 8

decreased blood flow and oxygen to the heart

Question 9

what is the treatment for angina?

Answer 9

Reduce O2 demand
(Reduce workload)
or

Increase O2 supply
(Improve blood flow

Question 10

How do we reduce cardiac workload?

Answer 10

Dilate peripheral blood vessels
Heart does not have to push so hard
Less blood returned to heart: lower force of contraction

GTN can help this

Question 11

How do we treat a heart attack?

Answer 11

‘Time is muscle’

-Glyceryl trinitrate, propranolol
Reduce workload and oxygen demand
Improve blood flow through coronary arteries
Reduce pain

-Tissue plasminogen activator
‘clot busting drug’
Only works if given within a few hours

-Angioplasty
Vessel re-opened using tiny balloon (+stent)

Question 12

On which patients would we use digoxin?

Answer 12

patients with -

• heart failure
• atrial fibrillation

Question 13

What are the effects of digoxin on the heart?

Answer 13

increase the force of contraction (+ve inotropic effect) without increasing O2 consumption

Question 14

Lack of coordination of pumping or very fast rate leads to:

Answer 14

Turbulence (risk factor for blood clots -> stroke, heart attack)

Question 15

tachycardia is …

Answer 15

the heart beating to fast

Question 16

bradycardia is ..

Answer 16

the heart beating to slow

Question 17

Which of the following are NOT targets for anti-dysrhythmic drugs?

• Chloride channels
• Sodium channels
• Calcium channels
• Potassium channels

Answer 17

Chloride channels are not involved in cardiac conduction

Question 18

Which one of the following drugs might be used to treat angina pectoris?

• Salbutamol
• Captopril
• Lidocaine
• Glyceryl trinitrate

Answer 18

GTN
This is a drug which relaxes the smooth muscle in blood vessels (both veins and arteries) and increases blood flow in coronary vessels. This reduces the workload of the heart and ensures an adequate blood supply.

Question 19

Which of the following techniques might be used to diagnose a cardiac dysrhythmia?

• ECG
• Blood Test
• X-Ray
• Ultrasound

Answer 19

ECG
This would show the electrical activity throughout the different phases of the cardiac cycle and indicate whether there are any abnormal rhythms.

Question 20

need to include ECG readings*

Answer 20

*

Question 21

Loop diuretics work on which part of the kidney?

Answer 21

the loop of henle

Question 22

Furosemide is what kind of diuretic?

Answer 22

a loop diuretic