Block A1 - Hypertension Flashcards
What is hypertension?
High or Raised Blood Pressure (BP)
Hypertension is characterized by blood pressure created by the force of blood pushing against the walls of blood vessels as it is pumped by the heart.
What is the main formula for blood pressure?
BP = CO x PVR
CO is cardiac output, and PVR is peripheral vascular resistance.
What are the two types of circulation in the vascular system?
- Systemic circulation
- Pulmonary circulation
What factors affect arterial blood pressure?
- Stroke volume
- Heart rate (HR)
- Peripheral resistance
- Elastic vessels
- Blood volume
- Ventricular ejection
What role do a1-adrenoceptors play in blood pressure?
Stimulation leads to venoconstriction, increasing venous return to the heart, cardiac output, and blood pressure.
What is the role of the Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System (RAAS)?
Regulates blood pressure and fluid balance through various hormones.
What are endothelium-derived relaxing factors (EDRFs)?
- Nitric Oxide (NO)
- Prostacyclin (PGI2)
- Hyperpolarizing Factor (EDHF)
What are the effects of hypertension on the vascular system?
- Thickening and narrowing of lumen of arteries
- Acceleration of atherosclerosis
- Left ventricular hypertrophy
- Kidney failure
- Stroke
- Aneurysms
- Vascular dementia
How is blood pressure measured?
Using a sphygmomanometer, by releasing pressure from an inflatable cuff while listening for blood flow.
What are the classifications of blood pressure for adults?
- Normal
- Elevated
- Hypertension Stage 1
- Hypertension Stage 2
- Hypertensive crisis
What are primary risk factors for hypertension?
- Overweight/Obesity
- High Salt Consumption
- Lack of Exercise
- Excessive use of Alcohol
- Tobacco
- Age/Sex
- Diabetes
What are secondary causes of hypertension?
- Aortic coarctation
- Renal disease
- Mineralocorticoid excess
- Thyroid disease
- Eclampsia
- Cancer treatment
- Lipid disorders
What types of antihypertensive drugs are there?
- Vasodilators
- RAAS inhibitors
- Diuretics
- Sympathetic inhibitors
What is the mechanism of action for ACE inhibitors?
Reduce Angiotensin II levels, which is implicated in the development of left ventricular hypertrophy in hypertension.
What is the significance of the sympathetic nervous system in hypertension?
SNS stimulation can increase cardiac output and peripheral resistance, raising blood pressure.
What is systolic pressure?
The maximum arterial pressure reached during peak ventricular ejection.
What is diastolic pressure?
The minimum arterial pressure just before ventricular injection begins.
Fill in the blank: Hypertension is a major cause of _______.
premature death worldwide
True or False: Hypertension is usually asymptomatic.
True
What are the main classes of antihypertensive drugs?
- ACE inhibitors
- Angiotensin II receptor antagonists
- Calcium channel blockers
- Diuretics
- Beta blockers
What does peripheral vascular resistance (PVR) depend on?
The diameter of arteries/arterioles.
What are common side effects of antihypertensive medications?
- Cough
- Angioedema
- Ankle edema
