cardiac physiology- cardiac drugs

Question 1

angina pectoris

Answer 1

condition where the myocardium does not receive enough blood supply to meet its demand for oxygen- it is known as myocardial ischemia

Question 2

what does angina cause

Answer 2

causes a lack of blood flow to the heart muscle and can cause chest pain of discomfort. This is usually described as a pressure or squeezing sensation.

Question 3

what may a person experience in an angina attack

Answer 3

pain and discomfort and described as a tightness, pressure squeezing or burning sensation. Pain can radiate to the arms , shoulders, neck, back and stomach.

Question 4

symptoms of angina

Answer 4

sweating, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting and fatigue

Question 5

drugs that can beused to treat the acute attacks

Answer 5

organic nitrates

Question 6

drugs to treat prophylaxis

Answer 6

organic nitrates, beta blocks, calcium channel blockers, ranolazine, K channel opener- Nicorandil.

Question 7

during an angina attack

Answer 7

heart rate increases, increase in contractility and increase in preload and afterload.
There is a decrease in coronary flow and regional myocardial blood flow.

Question 8

glyceryl trinitrate spray

Answer 8

has to be sprayed under the tongue as it has a high fast pass metabolism.
This drug increases intracellular cGMP and decreases Dephosphorylation of myosin light chain and decreases cystolic calcium and relaxes the smooth muscle

Question 9

calcium channel blockers

Answer 9

located on vascular smooth muscle, cardiac myocytes and cardiac nodal tissue.
Channels are responsible for regulating the influx of calcium into cells.
If calcium channels is blocked causes relaxation in vascular smooth muscle and slows the heart rate down.

Question 10

Beta blockers

Answer 10

Decreases severity and frequency of angina
and decreases cardiac work during rest and exercise.
Often given with the calcium blockers as well as the spray for acute attacks

Question 11

recreational drugs- powdered cocaine

Answer 11

powdered cocaine use for adults aged 16-59 years is 2.0% and the age group of 16-24 years the percentage is 4%

Question 12

cocaine on the heart

Answer 12

its a sympathetic drug which increases sympathetic output and has a local anaesthetic.
Increases myocardial oxygen demand.
directly affects myocardial sites which can cause problems with the heart rhythms.

Question 13

cocaine and alcohol

Answer 13

As cocaine concertation increases an active metabolite, cocaethylene is formed and hemodynamic effects are prolonged. It causes increases of inflammation of the heart as well as the effects of cocaine on the heart. Increase in heart rate as well as blood pressure.