Blood Pressure as a Drug Target : Hypertension

Question 1

What is the equation for blood pressure?

Answer 1

Cardiac Output X Peripheral Resistance = Blood Pressure.

Question 2

What is peripheral resistance?

Answer 2

How TIGHT are your blood vessels?

Question 3

What are the 3 factors which determine peripheral resistance?

Answer 3

Autonomic Resistance = Sympathetic activity INCREASES.
Pharmacological Agents = Vaso-constrictor drug INCREASES resistance.
Blood Viscosity = Increasing the viscosity INCREASES then resistance.

Question 4

What is cardiac output?

Answer 4

Amount of blood the heart pumps through the circulatory system in 1 minute.

Question 5

What happens to the peripheral resistance, when the arteries constrict?

Answer 5

The resistance increases.

Question 6

What is blood pressure?

Answer 6

Pressure in the vessels = Gives an indicator of when the heart has beaten and when it has relaxed.

Question 7

What is systolic pressure?

Answer 7

Amount of pressure in your arteries during contraction of your heart muscle.

Question 8

What is diastolic pressure?

Answer 8

Blood pressure when your heart muscle is relaxing from beating.

Question 9

How is blood pressure normally given?

Answer 9

Systolic Pressure // Diastolic Pressure (mmHg)

Question 10

What is the normal range for blood pressure?

Answer 10

90/60 to 120/80 mmHg.

Question 11

What can increase blood pressure?

Answer 11

Exercise
Diet (increasing in salt // fat)
Age

Question 12

What can decrease blood pressure?

Answer 12

Exercise
Diet (decreasing in salt // fat)
Atrioventricular valve

Question 13

Why is blood pressure known as a surrogate marker?

Answer 13

It can cause other clinical conditions : Furthermore, you could have the problem but NO symptoms.

Question 14

Name some long - term complications of hypertension.

Answer 14

Coronary Heart Disease
Stroke
Cardiac Hypertrophy 
Peripheral Vascular Disease
Kidney Disease 
Retinopathy

Question 15

Why is coronary heart disease a long term complication?

Answer 15

This arises due to the heart working under INCREASED PRESSURE.
Can lead to blood clot formation.

Question 16

Why is stroke a long term complication?

Answer 16

This arises due to weakened arteries and the pressure build - up can cause the arteries to burst.
This leads to internal bleeding in the brain.

Question 17

What is classed as an abnormal blood pressure?

Answer 17

Anything above 180 mmHg.

Question 18

What is cardiac hypertrophy?

Answer 18

Abnormal Enlargement // Thickening of the heart muscle.

Question 19

Why is cardiac hypertrophy and failure classed as a long term complication?

Answer 19

Prevents the heart from working normally and therefore, pressure builds up and destroys the heart vessels.

Question 20

What are the symptoms of cardiac hypertrophy?

Answer 20

Chest Pain
Feeling Dizzy
Shortness of breath
Rapid Heartbeat

Question 21

What is another name for cardiac hypertrophy?

Answer 21

Left Ventricular Hypertrophy.

Question 22

What is peripheral vascular disease?

Answer 22

A blood circulation disorder which causes the blood vessels outside your heart andbrair to NARROW // BLOCK // SPASM.

Question 23

What is a knock on effect of peripheral vascular disease?

Answer 23

Blood supply to the vessels can be blocked off by FAT DEPOSITS building up in the vessels.

Question 24

Why is kidney disease classed as a long term complication?

Answer 24

The blood vessels and filters in the kidney are DAMAGED : thus, the removal of waste is hard.
Kidney shrinks due to high blood pressure = due to blood supply being reduced to the kidney tissue.

Question 25

What is retinopathy?

Answer 25

Damage to the retina of the eyes = can cause vision impairment.

Question 26

How is damage done to the retina?

Answer 26

When blood pressure INCREASES, the retina's blood vessels thicken and so the vessels THICKEN. This damages the retina's blood vessels.

Question 27

What are the major cardiovascular risk factors?

Answer 27

``` Gender = Male Age = The older you are, the greater the risk. Family History Lack of exercise Smoking Ethnicity = South Asian // African ```

Question 28

What are the symptoms of low blood pressure?

Answer 28

``` Fainting Blurred Vision Nausea Fatigue Lack of concentration ```

Question 29

What is the main issue that arises with low blood pressure?

Answer 29

Lack of blood flow to the organs of the body.

Question 30

What does a lack of blood flow to the organs with low blood pressure mean?

Answer 30

Stroke Heart Attack Kidney Failure Bowel Ischemia