Dr Henderson - Medics only CVS Flashcards
What does renal artery sclerosis cause?
Hypertension
What is phaeochromocytoma?
An adrenal-secreting tumour of the chromaffin cells in the adrenal medulla
What happens to the vascular system in chronic hypertension?
Chronic smooth muscle contraction may induce thickening of the arteriolar vessel walls = irreversible rise in peripheral resistance
What is Liddle’s syndrome and what cause it?
Patients with very high rate of Na+ reabsorption in the presence of very low aldosterone = severe hypertension
Caused by various mutations in ENaC channels in the late distal tubule = overexpression and more frequent opening
What are the drugs used in the treatment of hypertension?
Diuretics ACE inhibitors Beta blockers Alpha 1 antagonists Centrally acting α1/I1 agonists KCOs Ca2+ channel antagonists Other
What are thought to be the modes of action of beta-blockers?
Decrease CO
Decreased plasma rening
CNS action increase plasma NA?
Doxazosin?
α1 antagonist used in the treatment of hypertension
How do α1 antagonists block blood pressure?
They inhibit the sympathetic control of vasoconstriction = vasodilation and drop in BP
Labetalol?
α1, β1 and β2 antagonist
How do Ca2+ channel antagonist cause antihypertensive effects?
Act on L-type Ca2+ channels = decreased force of contraction and reduced CO
Also have a mild diuretic effect
Amlodipine?
Ca2+ channel blocker used in the treatment of hypertension and angina
How do KCOs help lower BP?
Act on ATP-sensitive K+ channels in vascular smooth muscle = hyperpolarisation and relaxation
Moxonidine
I1 agonist
Centrally acting hypertensive (fewer side effects than alpha 2 agonists)
Mechanism unknown (maybe involving generation of DAG and aá)
What are the other hypertensive drugs?
Guanethidine
Reserpine
Ganglion blockers
Other direct acting vasodilators:
Sodium nitroprusside (metabolised to NO) BUT also gives cyanide
Hydralazine
What is an atheroma?
An accumulation of a soft, flaky, yellowish material at the centre of large plaques, composed of macrophages nearest the lumen of the artery
What are the stages of development of an atheroma?
Yellow fatty streak -> Lipid plaque -> Fibrous plaque
What can atheroma lead to?
If atheroma leads to stenosis and compromises the arterial supply of the heart then this produces angina
Parts of the atheroma can break off = MI/stoke
Chronic under perfusion of the heart can lead to chronic heart failure
What is a lipoprotein composed of?
Cholesterol, intercalated in a phospholipid membrane together with cholesteryl esters
Apolipoproteins associated with the lipid particle
What kind of apolipoprotein do HDLs have?
ApoA
What kind of apolipoprotein do LDLs have?
ApoB
What does the liver use cholesterol for? How does it take it up?
To synthesise bile salts
Using LDL receptors
What mechanism does the liver use to take in cholesterol?
Receptor mediated endocytosis
What is the enterohepatic circulation?
The circulation of bile salts and cholesterol from the liver to the GI tract and back
Draw the mechanism for the synthesis of cholesterol
Acetyl CoA + acetoacetyl CoA + Water \/ HMG-CoA \/ HMG CoA reductase Mevalonate \/ Cholesterol
How do statins work?
Inhibit HMG-CoA reductase (rate limiting enzyme for cholesterol synthesis)
Liver takes up more LDLs from the blood to make cholesterol (achieved by synthesis of more LDL receptors)
Simvastatin?
Statin - HMG CoA reductase inhibitor
Prodrug - metabolised in the liver
How is the LDL receptor and therefore [cholesterol] controlled in hepatocytes?
When there is low [cholesterol] causes a disinhibition of the protease S1P
S1P then cleaves the inactive ER bound SREBP
S2P then removes the NH2- terminal from SREBP freeing it from the ER and thus activating it
SREBP then enters the nucleus to bind to SRE promoter = increased transcription of LDL receptor gene
Atorvastatin?
Long-lasting statin (longer half life)
Rosuvostatin?
Long-lasting statin because of its longer half life (HMG CoA inhibitor)
What are the pleiotropic effects of statins?
Improves endothelial function
Enhances plaque stability
Decrease in oxidative stress and inflammation
Inhibition of thrombus formation
How do fibrates work?
Increase uptake of LDL and increase production of HDLs
Acts as an agonist of PPARα and PPARγ which induce transcription of Liver X Receptors (LXRs)
These act as metabolic sensors for cholesterol action
LXR causes an increase in the transcription of SREBP, causing an increase in LDL uptake, and ABCA1
ABCA1 controls the rate limiting step of HDL synthesis
Also stimulates lipoprotein lipase
What is the role of liver X receptors?
Cause increased transcription of SREBP, causing an increase in LDL uptake, and ABCA1
ABCA1 controls the rate limiting step of HDL synthesis
They also stimulate lipoprotein lipase
Clofibrate?
Fibrate (PPARα/γ agonist = increase LXR production)
Causes an increase in HDL synthesis and increase in LDL uptake
Bezafibrate?
Fibrate (PPARα/γ agonist = increase LXR production)
Causes an increase in HDL synthesis and increase in LDL uptake