Calcium Channel Blockers

Question 1

Calcium channel blockers are for

Answer 1

Hypertension, blocks calcium channels
- muscles need calcium to rush in & open up stored calcium to cause muscle constriction/contraction

Question 2

CCB do what

Answer 2

Block influx of calcium that triggers muscle contraction

Question 3

CCB cause what to relax

Answer 3

Smooth muscle in blood vessels (vasodilation)

Question 4

How does CCB affect cardiac muscle

Answer 4

Alters ability of the muscle to transmit electrical impulses

Question 5

What do SOME CCB work on

Answer 5

The SA & AV node of the heart

Question 6

What do ALL CCB work on

Answer 6

Vascular smooth muscle

Question 7

What do SOME CCB work directly on

Answer 7

The heart to slow HR

Question 8

Dihydropyridines (DHP’s)

Answer 8

ONLY on blood vessels

Question 9

Non-DHP’s

Answer 9

directly affect heart SA & AV nodes (can cause many drug interactions)

Question 10

Two non-DHP’s

Answer 10

Diltiazem & verapamil (both metabolized in liver)

Question 11

DHP or non-DHP causes decrease in AV & SA node conduction

Answer 11

Non-DHP’s

Question 12

DHP or non-DHP causes decrease in HR

Answer 12

Non-DHP’s

Question 13

Do DHP’s affect AV & SA nodes?

Answer 13

NO

Question 14

Do DHP’s affect HR?

Answer 14

NO, but maybe slightly since vasodilation can cause HR to increase when changing positions

Question 15

What causes the most vasodilation in peripherial and coronary?

Answer 15

DHP’s

Question 16

Do Non-DHP’s cause vasodilation in peripherial and coronary?

Answer 16

yes

Question 17

Which one causes slightly more vasodilation in peripheral and coronary? verapamil or diltiazem

Answer 17

diltiazem

Question 18

How do Non-DHP’s and DHP affect vasodilation in cerebral?

Answer 18

They increase vasodialtion in cerebral by the same amount

Question 19

What side effects from excessive vasodilation?

Answer 19

Headache and flushing

Question 20

What is a bigger issue in causing headache and flushing? Non-DHP or DHP?

Answer 20

DHP’s

Question 21

Side affects in both Non-DHP and DHP

Answer 21

Hypotension, headache, and flushing

Question 22

Other side affects in DHP’s

Answer 22

Reflex tachycardia and edema

Question 23

Other side affects in Non-DHP’s

Answer 23

Constipation, bradycardia, AV block, and CHF

Question 24

Reflex tachycardia

Answer 24

DHP do not affect HR but they do affect vessels and can lower pressure so much that the blood can rush to lower extremities and HR can compensate for low BP.
INDIRECT AFFECT

Question 25

would we use DHP for a fib or tachy

Answer 25

NO
DHP’s have no effect on the heart rate