Cardiac Medication Management

Question 1

Name three medications commonly used in management of chest pain and their classes and actions

Answer 1

GTN [opens the artery and decreases myocardial 02 demand] ^ blood flow and 02 delivery..

Morphine An opioid acting primarily on receptors that perceive pain, morphine also acts as a vasodilator, reducing ventricular preload to reduce 02 demand and reduce anxiety - WH if RR <12 as its a respiratory depressant.

Prevent coronary artery obstruction with aspirin[reduces aggregation at thrombus site in coronary artery].

Question 2

Explain the role of aspirin - ANTIPLATELET/STATIN in acute chest pain management

Answer 2

Decreases LDL cholestrole numbers which are a risk factor of artherosclerosis.

Question 3

What class do each of these drugs belong to? Aspirin

Answer 3

NSAID - anti platelet

Question 4

What class do each of these drugs belong to? GTN

Answer 4

Nitrate

Question 5

What class do each of these drugs belong to? Morphine

Answer 5

Opiate

Question 6

List the three key medication classes in the management of heart failure and give examples of these as well as what they DO

Answer 6

Beta-blockers slow HR.
[METROPOLOL]
 ↓ effect of SNS & RAAS
↓ contractility, ↓HR,  
    ↓ BP 

ACE inhibitors [ends with PRIL, Cilazapril, Enalapril]

ACE inhibitors (ACE-I) inhibit the conversion of angiotensin I to angiotensin II
Therefore, the blood pressure decreases and the kidneys diurese (excrete sodium and water)
The oxygen demand of the heart is reduced

Diuretics [Frusemide]
Provide relief of clinical signs of fluid overload, i.e. symptoms of pulmonary and/or peripheral oedema, by increasing urine sodium excretion and thus water excretion

Question 7

2. What is the primary goal in chest pain management?

Answer 7

Open the artery and keep it open

Question 8

3. What are three medications commonly used in acute chest pain management?

Answer 8

GTN, morphine and aspirin

Question 9

4. When giving morphine for acute chest pain, what are three key nursing considerations?

Answer 9

RR > 12, altered level of consciousness and hypotension

Question 10

5. Aspirin is what kind of drug?

Answer 10

An antiplatelet

Question 11

6. The role of statins in acute chest pain management is:

Answer 11

To lower total cholesterol / low-density lipid levels

Question 12

7. Three medication classes used in the treatment of heart failure are?

Answer 12

Beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors and diuretics

Question 13

1. Acute chest pain due to CAD is caused by:

Answer 13

Increased myocardial O2 demand and decreased myocardial O2 supply

Question 14

8. Beta-blockers: do what?

Answer 14

Slow the HR, lower the BP and reduce the force of contraction

Question 15

9. ACE inhibitors: do what? and why would you administer ace inhibitors if administering diuretics?

Answer 15

ACE inhibitors (ACE-I) inhibit the conversion of angiotensin I to angiotensin II

Therefore, the blood pressure decreases and the kidneys diurese (excrete sodium and water)

The oxygen demand of the heart is reduced

Promote vasodilation and diuresis, decreasing the workload of the heart

• To prevent SNS response.

Question 16

10. Diuretics: do what

Answer 16

Increase sodium and water excretion by the kidneys