15a – Cardiovascular Pharmacology Flashcards
Hemodynamic considerations for heart failure: preload
-pressure form venous system
o Needs to be sufficient to fill R. and L. side of heart
o *need a MINIMUM
o Don’t want too much=excessive amount of blood (stretch too much and weaken muscles)
Hemodynamic considerations for heart failure: afterload
-pressure in arteries
o If too constricted=more difficult to generate enough pressure to push the blood forwards
o Want to try and reduce it so blood can be pushed out with reduced workload
2 types of cardiomyopathy
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
- Dilated cardiomyopathy
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
- Most common form of heart failure in CATS
- *lots of muscle that can generate lots of FORCE but volume in chamber is smaller and walls can be STIFFER (lower preload)
- *want to try and relax the muscle
Dilated cardiomyopathy
- Most common form of heart failure in DOGS
- Certain breeds predisposed (ex. Boxers)
- Cats develop it if diet low in taurine (not seen often anymore)
- Grain-free diets? (no genetic component)
- *Sarcomeres are added in series=large ventricle that is thinner=can not generate as much FORCE
o NEED TO MAKE IT GENERATE MORE FORCE
Cardiac insufficiency/failure due to
- Reduced SV or CO secondary to other reasons
- Abnormal rates (bradycardia, tachycardia)
What are reasons that SV or CO may be reduced? (causing cardiac failure)
- Reduced preload (hypovolemia, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy or pericardial effusion)
- Impaired contractility (dilated cardiomyopathy)
- Increased afterload (severe hypertension, aorta/pulmonic stenosis)
- Inadequate valve function
What is something that can cause bradycardia?
- Third degree AV block
o Excitations not going through - *decreased HR=CO can’t be high enough
What are some things that can cause tachycardia?
- Atrial fibrillation
- Ventricular tachycardia
- *no longer ADAPTIVE: even though increased HR, getting decreased SV and CO will be decreased
Heart failure symptoms: chronic
- Cardiomegaly
- R. vs. L. ventricular failure
- *failure on one side eventually leads to failure on OTHER SIDE
- Arrhythmias (especially tachycardia): risk of SUDDEN death
L. ventricular failure symptoms
- Blood accumulates in lungs
- Pulmonary edema
- Poor peripheral perfusion
R. ventricular failure symptoms
- Leads to edema in venous side
- Subcutaneous edema
- Ascites (make them have a lower appetite: cachexia)
- Hepatojugular reflex
Consequences, complications and compensations in heart failure: IN THE HEART
- Decrease contractility or reduced SV=insufficient CO
o Decrease BP=decrease baroreceptor activity (less stretch)=increase sympathetic activity (decrease PS stimulation)
Consequences, complications and compensations in heart failure: increased S leads to
o Vasoconstriction=increase TPR=increased afterload=more work heart needs to do
*makes situation worse (normally would fix BP in an acute response)
o Increases HR and contractility
*makes situation worse)
o Increase ADH=increase blood volume=venous pressure=return to ventricles (OVERFILLING: forcing it to work harder!)
Consequences, complications and compensations in heart failure: decreased renal blood flow
o Increase renin (S stimulation also contributes)=activation of RAAS cascade
Vasoconstrict=increase afterload
Increased ADH
*increased aldosterone: retain more Na and expand blood volume=even more into the failing heart to work more
If too high HR
- Tachycardia
- Can’t fill enough during diastole
- Handled better in dilated vs. hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
What are some positive inotropic agents?
- Pimobendan (‘inodilator’)
- Digoxin
- Dobutamine
Pimobendan (‘inodilator’)
- Phosphodiesterase inhibitor (relative of Viagra)
- Positive inotrope (increase contractility) and arterial VASODILATOR
- May enhance sensitivity of cardiac contractile proteins to calcium
- Induces ‘well-being’ and INCREASES appetite
- **Shown to increase survival in dogs with DCM or mitral valve insufficiency (double or triple)
Pimobendan actions in heart (cardiomyocyte)
- Accumulation of cAMP=increase sensitivity of contractile elements to Ca2+
- *mimics beta-1 adrenergic receptor like effect in all cardiomyocytes
Pimobendan actions in vascular smooth muscle (arteriol size)
- Accumulation of cAMP(cGMP)=vasodilation=reduce peripheral resistance=decreased afterload
- *Decreases work that the heart needs to do to get a good SV
Digoxin
- Digitalis glycosides isolated from FOXGLOVE
- Inhibits Na/K ATPase (want PARTIAL INHIBITION)
- Positive inotropic effect
- Negative chronotropic (decrease HR) and dromotropic (decrease speed on conduction) effect
- *one of most highly TOXIC drugs used clinically
- Secondarily: leads to increased peripheral tissue perfusion (Ex. increased renal output)
Digoxin actions on cardiomyocytes
- Inhibits Na/K pump=increased Na inside
- Excess Na removed by Na/Ca exchanger=working harder=more Ca inside
- *Ca-induced Ca release=more Ca=enhanced contraction
- SECONDARY EFFECT OF INCREAED CALCIUM