Common drugs

Question 1

What do diuretics do?

Answer 1

Block Na reabsorption in kidneys

Question 2

What are the two types of diuretics?

Answer 2

Thiazide and loop diuretics

Question 3

What is the difference between the two types of diuretics?

Answer 3

Thiazide are mild and used in hypertension and loop are stronger and used in heart failure

Question 4

Give an example of each of the types of diuretics

Answer 4

Thiazide - bendrofluazide. Loop - furosemide

Question 5

What are the side effects of diuretics?

Answer 5

Hypokaleamia which causes tiredness and arrhythmias.
Hyperglycaemia which causes diabetes
Uric acid which causes gout
Impotence

Question 6

What are cardiovascular beta blockers used in and give an example

Answer 6

They only block Beta 1 receptors, they are used in angina, hypertension and heart failure. Example is atenolol

Question 7

What are non selective beta blockers and what are they used in. Give an example

Answer 7

They block both beta 1 and beta 2 receptors. They are used in thyrotoxicosis. Example is propranolol

Question 8

Side effects of beta blockers

Answer 8

Asthma - never use in established asthma
Tiredness
Heart failure - good in medium/long term heart failure but can worsen heart failure in short term
Cold peripheries

Question 9

What are the two types of calcium antagonists

Answer 9

Dihydropyridines and rate limiting calcium antagonists

Question 10

Dihydropyradines - give an example, what are they used in and side effects

Answer 10

Example is amlodipine
Used in hypertension and angina
Side effect is ankle oedema

Question 11

Rate limiting calcium antagonists - give examples and what it is used in

Answer 11

Examples - Verapamil, diltiazem

used in hypertension and angina and supra ventricular arrhythmias

Question 12

Which of the two calcium antagonists should be given caution if given with beta blockers

Answer 12

Rate limiting calcium antagonists

Question 13

What do alpha blockers do?

Answer 13

Block alpha adrenoceptors to cause vasodilation

Question 14

What are alpha blockers used in?

Answer 14

Hypertension and prostatic hypertrophy

Question 15

Give an example of alpha blockers and side effect

Answer 15

Doxazosin and postural hypertension

Question 16

What are ACEI and give an example of them

Answer 16

Blocks angiotensin I from becoming angiotensin II. example - lisinopril

Question 17

What are ACEI’s used in, what are they good and bad for and give side effects of them

Answer 17

Used in hypertension and heart failure
Good for kidneys in diabetic neuropathy and bad for kidneys in renal artery stenosis
Side effects of them are cough, renal disfunction and angioneurmtic oedema

Question 18

What should you never used ACEIs and ARBs in?

Answer 18

Pregnancy induced hypertension

Question 19

What are ARBS and give an example of them

Answer 19

Block angiotensin II receptors and Losartan

Question 20

What are ARBs used in and what are the good and bad for in terms of kidneys and give side effects

Answer 20

Used in hypertension and heart failure
Good for kidneys in diabetic neuropathy and bad for kidneys in renal artery stenosis
Side effects of them are renal disfunction. No cough.

Question 21

What are nitrates and give examples

Answer 21

They are venodilators and isosorbide monoritrate

Question 22

What are nitrates used and what are the side effects

Answer 22

Used in angina and acute heart failure

Side effects include headaches and hypotension/collapse

Question 23

What is the tolerance of nitrates

Answer 23

Leave 8 hours per day nitrate-free

Question 24

Antiplatelet agents - give examples and what do they do

Answer 24

Aspirin, Clopidogrel, Ticagrelor, Prasugrel

They prevent new thrombosis

Question 25

What are anti platelet agents used in and what are the side effects of using them?

Answer 25

They are used in angina, acute MI, CVA/TIA, patients at high risk of MI and CVA
Side effects include haemorrhage anywhere, peptic ulcer haemorrhage, aspirin sensitivity asthma

Question 26

What are anti coagulants and what are they used in?

Answer 26

They prevent new thrombosis and are used in DVT, pulmonary embolism, AF

Question 27

What are the side effects of anti coagulants and give examples of them?

Answer 27

The side effect is haemorrhage anywhere and examples of the are Heparin IV use only, Warfarin oral use only, Rivaroxaban and Damigatran

Question 28

What do fibrinolytic drugs do and what are they used in?

Answer 28

They dissolve formed clots and are used in STEMI, PE and CVA

Question 29

What are the side effects, give an example and what must they be avoided in?

Answer 29

Side effects are haemorrhage serious risk. Example is Streptokinase and they should be avoided in recent haemorrhage, trauma, bleeding tendencies, sever diabetic retinopathy and peptic ulcer

Question 30

What are the two types of anti cholesterol drugs? Give examples of each and what they are used in and side effects?

Answer 30

Statins e.g. simvastatin. Used in hypercholesterolaemia, diabetes, Angina/MI, CVA/TIA and high risk of MI and CVA. Side effects include myopathy and rhabdomyolysis failure.
The second type are vibrates e.g. bezafibrate whips are used in hypertriglyceridaemia and low HDL cholesterol

Question 31

What are anti arrhythmic drugs. Examples and side effects of them

Answer 31

SVT/ventricular - amiodaronem beta blockers, flecainide. Use adenosinse in acute situations in SVT
Side effects are phototoxicity, pulmonary fibrosis, thyroid abnormalities

Question 32

Dioxins what are the two effects and what do they do?

Answer 32

Digoxin 1 blocks AV conduction which is good in AF, however if it is excessive then it is bad as the heart rate falls too much giving bradycardia and heart block. The second effect is they increase ventricular irritability which produces ventricula arrhythmias this is always bad, narrow therpeautic index.

Question 33

What can digoxin toxicity cause?

Answer 33

Nausea, vomiting
Yellow vision
bradychardia, heart block
ventricular arrhythmias