Antihypertensives Flashcards
BP=
BP=CO*SVR
Four major TARGETS of HTN meds
- decrease arteriole resistance
- increase the blood volume held in reserve or capacitance vessels
- decrease the force or volume with which the heart is pumping blood out into the vessels
- decrease the intravascular volume by tricking the kidney into letting go of more salt, thereby decreasing the amount of water in circulation
Four major CLASSIFICATION of HTN meds
- Diuretics: lower BP by depleting the body of sodium, and thereby reducing blood volume.
- Sympathoplegic agents: block signals from the SNS, leading to decreased peripheral resistance, decreased inotropy and/or chronotropy of the heart, increased venous pooling.
- Direct vasodilators: cause vasodilation of resistance and/or capacitance vessels by relaxing the SM in their walls. Does not use SNS.
- Blockade of the angiotensin-renin-aldosterone pathway, leading to less arterial resistance and increased sodium excretion.
Diuretics (medical term)
Thiazides
Thiazides work by
selectively poisoning the pump/channel or feedback loop in the kidney to trick it into excreting sodium.
Where sodium goes…
water and chloride follow
What is likely to increase with use of a diuretic?
Serum uric acid (can precipitate gout)
Effects of diuretics in the short term… how long does it take to equilibrate?
Due to volume receptor reflexes, the initial decrease in volume will cause SM constriction, increased PVR, increase in the renin/angiotensin system. However, after about 6-8 weeks, CO returns to nml while PVR declines.
Furosemide
Loop diuretic. Trade name Lasix (think lasts six hours). Most potent and effective medicine, causing a brisk and rapid diuresis with lots of sodium loss. Poisons a pump in the thick ascending limb, causing a direct net excretion of sodium and potassium and an indirect excretion of magnesium and calcium. Lasix can also cause metabolic alkalosis.
Side effect of furosemide
Increase in calcium-containing renal stones, as the urine has a higher concentration of calcium.
Chlorothiazide, chlorthalidone, hydrochrolothiazide (HCTZ)
Thiazide diuretics. Poisons a pump in the distal convoluted tubule that reabsorbs NaCl. Indirectly causes increased loss of potassium, but a decreased loss of calcium. Can cause metabolic alkalosis.
How aldosterone effects the renal collecting duct cells
Two sites of action:
- on interstitial side: increased action of ATP-dependent pump that moves sodium into the interstitium and potassium into the collecting duct cell.
- on lumenal side: opening and closing of channels that promote sodium diffusion into the collecting duct cell, and potassium diffusion into the lumen of the collecting duct.
Spironolactone
Potassium-sparing diuretic, mineralocorticoid. Competitively inhibits the ATP-dependent Na+/K+ pump on the interstitial side of the collecting duct cell, causing sodium to stay in the urine and potassium to stay in the blood. Requires activation by the liver, and takes a few days to a week to start working.
As a synthetic steroid, spironolactone also have activity at androgen and estrogen receptors. Side effects include gynecomastia.
Eplerenone
Potassium-sparing diuretic, mineralocorticoid. Competitively inhibits the ATP-dependent Na+/K+ pump on the interstitial side of the collecting duct cell, causing sodium to stay in the urine and potassium to stay in the blood. Better specificity for the pump than spironolactone with a better side effect profile.
Triamterene
Potassium-sparing diuretic. Inhibits the pump on the luminal side of the collecting duct cell, causing sodium to stay in the urine and potassium to stay in the blood.
Why pair beta-blockers with a diuretic?
Typically, the body has reflexes to compensate for a drop in blood pressure. Beta-blockers and diuretics work in tandem to allow the blood pressure to be reduced.
Three sites of action sympathetic HTN drugs act on:
- Centralling acting sympathoplegics (brain): methyldopa, clonidine
- Adrenergic neuron-blocking agents: Guanethedine, reserpine
- Adrenoreceptor antagonists: beta-blockers (propranolol, metoprolol, atenolol, labetalol, carvedilol, esmolol), alpha-blockers (1st group prazosin, terazosin, doxazosin; 2nd group phentolamine, phenoxybenzamine)
Methyldopa, clonidine
Alpha-agonists, primarily alpha-2-agonist activity. Decrease sympathetic outflow from the brainstem, while allowing the brainstem to retain their ability to respond to input from the baroreceptors (resulting in less postural hypotension than some other drugs). Interfere with the brain’s ability to make or release NE, or the ability of NE to bind to downstream receptors.
Methyldopa
Alpha-agonist with CNS activity. Interferes with the brain’s ability to make NE by replacing precursors of NE with breakdown products of the drug, resulting in the synthesis of an altered neurotransmitter (AM-epi or AM-dopa). This alternate NT is stored and released the same as NE, and stimulated central alpha-2-receptors when released. This results in decreased sympathetic tone, manifesting mainly as decreased BP. Main uses include to treat Parkinson’s dz, and to control HTN in pregnant women.
Side effects and toxicity of methyldopa
Sedation, nightmares, depression, vertigo, lactation. Positive direct Coombs test in 10-20% taking for more than a year. Hepatitis and drug fever (both reverse with cessation)
Clonidine
Centrally acting alpha-agonist with higher affinity for alpha-2 than alpha-1. Reduces sympathetic tone while increasing parasympathetic tone, resulting in decreased BP and HR, as well as circulating catecholamine levels. It is important to remember the decrease in HR effect, as it can cause cardiogenic shock if another HR lowering drug is added (such as a beta-blocker, verapamil, dilitiazem). Short half life, and must be given QID PO or with a patch.
Clonidine side effects and toxicity
Dry mouth, sedation, depression (can be serious). Cannot be used with tricyclic antidepressants, as it blocks their major mechanism of action. Pts must be warned not to stop the drug suddenly, as this can cause reflexive increases in SNS output resulting in anxiety, tachycardia, HTN (including hypertensive crisis). (other thing about withdrawal once I figure it out)
Adrenergic neuron-blocking agents
Guanethedine, reserpine (these aren’t clinically important! whoo hoo!)