CV II - Antihypertensive agents Flashcards
How is hypertension diagnosed?
High BP measured multiple times
What is mild hypertension?
Over 140/90 mm Hg
- Asymptomatic until damage to heart, brain, retina, kidney etc. occurs
- systolic/diastolic
What is primary hypertension?
Unknown cause of hypertension
The cause is known in 10-15% cases
True or false? Blood pressure control mechanisms are working normally in hypertensive people
True
Give the two systems for controlling blood pressure
SNS: Fast control.
Renin-angiotensin system (RAS): Longer term control.
How does the CNS control blood pressure?
- Carotid baroreceptors senses low blood pressure and send a signal to raise blood pressure to the brain
- Sympathetic NS ganglia activated
- β1 receptors in heart increase heart rate and contraction force
- β1 receptors in kidney increase renin secretion
- α1 receptors constrict vascular smooth muscle veins
How does the renin-angiotensin system control blood pressure? Describe pathway.
- Angiotensin converted to angiotensin I by renin
- Angiotensin I converted to angiotensin II by ACE (angeiotensin converting enzyme)
Angiotensin II:
- α1 receptors cause vasoconstriction on vascular smooth muscle
- Aldosterone released, causing sodium and water retention
What four types of drugs are used to treat hypertension?
- Diuretics
- Drugs that affect the SNS (centrally acting, β blockers, α1 blockers)
- Vasodilators (Ca channel blockers, other)
- Drugs that affect the RAS (ACE inhibitors, AII antagonists)
True or false? Hypertension often requires polypharmacy
True. Though monotherapy is always preferable.
Some effective drugs have toxic effects at maximal doses, so additional drugs with different mechanisms of action can be added
How do diuretics treat hypertension?
- Act on cells in renal tubule to promote diuresis (water excretion) and naturiesis (sodium excretion)
- Depletion of Na in body decreases stiffness of vascular smooth muscle cells
- Initial decrease in BP due to decreased blood volume and reduced cardiac output
- Over time CO returns to normal but lowered peripheral resistance can be left lowered by 10-15 mm Hg (may be all you need)
- Effective and safe, especially in elderly (over 85)
What are the three types of diuretics most commonly used to treat hypertension?
- Loop diuretics
- Thiazides
- Potassium sparing diuretics
How do loop diuretics work?
- Ascending loop of henle
- Chlorine/sodium/potassium transporter brings sodium back into body, loop diuretics inhibit this transporter
- Sodium, potassium and water loss
- VERY POWERFUL
How do thiazides work?
- Distal convoluted tubule
- Inhibits Na reuptake
- Sodium and potassium lost
- Used along with K-sparing diuretics for hypertension
How do potassium sparing diuretics work?
- Collecting tubule
- Inhibit Na/K pump
- K accumulates (not excreted)
- Na and water excreted (lost)
- Used along with thiazides for hypertension
How do centrally acting SNS drugs lower blood pressure?
- Decrease SNS outflow by inhibiting hypothalamic SNS activity
- Causes sedation as well, so not popular, used for eclampsia in pregnant women