Coronary Heart Disease and Stroke Flashcards
What is cardiovascular disease?
disease of the heart & blood vessels
Most common manifestation of CVD is…
coronary heart disease also known as
- coronary artery disease
- ischaemic heart disease
What are the symptoms of angina pectoris
- crushing pain in chest that may radiate to arm, jaw or shoulder
- normally on the left side
- usually on exertion
What are the pathophysiological problems in CHD?
narrowing of coronary arteries by atheroma (fatty gunge)
- so not enough oxygen reaches the heart muscle
- so oxygen DEMAND succeeds SUPPLY
- so heart muscle is hypoxic
- so heart cells DIE
What are the consequences of the heart working anaerobically?
cells don’t work well (less blood pumped);
- may “misbehave” electrically (conduction problems & arrhythmias)
- pain
When heart oxygen demand exceeds supply how can you help the demand and with what drugs?
- Reduce heart rate - BETA BLOCKERS
- Reduce heart filling/ contraction strength - NITROVASODILATORS
- Reduced arterial resistance - BLOOD PRESSURE LOWERING DRUGS
When heart oxygen demand exceeds supply how can you help the supply and with what drugs?
- open up heart arteries -
- prevent atheroma formation - cholesterol lowering drugs. eg. STATINS
- Decrease risk of clotting - ANTI-PLATELET DRUGS
What causes myocardial infarction?
coronary artery completely blocked, typically by blood clot on ruptured plaque
What 4 types of drugs are used to treat heart attack and why?
- painkillers eg. morphine and diamorphine
- anti-arrhythmia drugs - injured cells often misbehave
- thrombolytic - clot busting drugs
- anti-platelet drugs - as blood is less likely to form a clot again
What is the most common Nitrates (nitrovasodilators) used?
Glyceryl Trinitrate (GTN)
How is GTN (glyceryl trinitrate) administered?
Sublingual tablet, nasal spray, transdermal patch
What is the actions of nitrates?
- Nitrates produce nitric oxide
- this increases cGMP in muscle cells
- muscle relaxes = vessels dilate
nitrovasodilators dilate..
both arteries and veins
What happens when you dilate systemic arteries ?
- less risistence (reduced BP)
- Less work for the heart ( less oxygen demand)
What happens when you dilate large veins?
- this is the biggest effect
- more blood in venous system - less back to the heart
- heart fills less - less work - less oxygen demand
What happens when you dilate cerebral arteries?
cerebral blood flow increased - throbbing or pounding headache
What are the side effects of nitrates?
- throbbing headache
- dizziness especially on getting up - lowered BP