Drug indications Flashcards
Antacid, e.g. Gaviscon (2)
- GORD - symptomatic relief within 20mins
2. Dyspepsia - short-term relief of indigestion
H2 receptor antagonist, e.g. Ranitidine (3)
- Peptic ulcer (gastric or duodenal)
- GORD - symptomatic relief
- Dyspepsia (indigestion) - symptomatic relief
PPIs, e.g. Omeprazole (4)
- Peptic ulcers - prevention & treatment
- GORD - symptomatic relief
- Dyspepsia - symptomatic relief
- Eradication of H. pylori (in addition to antibiotics)
Anti-diarrhoeal, e.g. Loperamide (1)
- Diarrhoea - symptomatic (does not treat underlying cause)
Laxatives, e.g. Senna (2)
- Constipation
2. Faecal impaction - as suppositories
Aminosalicylates, e.g. Mesalazine (2)
- Ulcerative colitis - first-line treatment
2. DMARD for RA (Sulfasalazine)
Anti-emetics, e.g. Metoclopramide (1)
- Nausea & vomiting - prophylaxis & treatment (particularly in the context of reduced gut motility)
Loop diuretics, e.g. Furosemide (3)
- Acute pulmonary oedema - relieve breathlessness
- Chronic heart failure - symptomatic relief of fluid overload
- Odematous states, e.g. due to renal disease - symptomatic relief of fluid overload
Thiazide diuretics, e.g. Bendroflumethiazide (1)
- Hypertension - if calcium channel blocker is unsuitable due to oedema or if there are other features of heart failure; or as an add-on treatment to CCB + ACEi
Potassium-sparing diuretics, e.g. Spironolactone (4)
- Hyperkalaemia arising from loop or thiazide diuretic therapy
- Oedema & ascites in liver cirrhosis
- Nephrotic syndrome
- Primary hyperaldosteronism (Conn’s syndrome)
Beta blockers, e.g. Atenolol (5)
- Ischaemic heart disease - first-line for angina & ACS
- Chronic heart failure - first-line with ACE inhibitor
- Atrial fibrillation - first-line to reduce ventricular rate & maintain sinus rhythm
- SVT - first-line to restore sinus rhythm
- Hypertension - used when other medications are insufficient or inappropriate
Calcium channel blockers, e.g. Amlodipine (vascular selective) (2)
- Hypertension - first- or second-line treatment
2. Stable angina - symptom control
Calcium channel blockers, e.g. Verapamil (cardiac selective) (1)
- Supraventricular arrhythmias - control cardiac rate in people with AF, atrial flutter & spuraventricular tachycardia
ACE inhibitors, e.g. Ramipril (4)
- Hypertension - first- or second-line treatment
- Chronic heart failure - first-line treatment with beta-blocker
- Ischaemic heart disease
- Diabetic nephropathy & CKD with proteinuria - to reduce proteinuria & the progression of nephropathy
Angiotensin-1 receptor blockers, e.g. Losartan (4)
Same as ACE inhibitors:
- Hypertension
- Chronic heart failure
- Ischaemic heart disease
- Diabetic nephropathy & CKD with proteinuria
Short-acting nitrates, e.g. GTN spray (1)
- Acute angina & ACS chest pain
Long-acting nitrates, e.g. ISMN (2)
- Prophylaxis of angina
2. Pulmonary oedema - in combination with furosemide & oxygen
Cardiac glycosides, e.g. Digoxin (2)
- AF & atrial flutter - reduces ventricular rate
2. Severe heart failure - third-line treatment in patients already taking ACEi, beta blocker & ARB
Anti-dysarrhythmics, e.g. Amiodarone (1)
- Tachyarrhythmias - AF, atrial flutter, SVT, ventricular tachycardia, refractory ventricular fibrillation - generally used when other drugs or cardioversion are ineffective or inappropriate
Antiplatelets, e.g. Aspirin (4)
- ACS & acute ischaemic stroke - prevents or limits arterial thrombosis
- Long-term secondary prevention of thrombotic arterial events - in patients with CV, cerebrovascular or peripheral arterial disease
- Atrial fibrillation - to reduce risk of intracardiac thrombus & embolic stroke if warfarin or novel oral anticoagulants are contraindicated
- Mild-to-moderate pain & fever - NSAIDs are usually preferred
Antiplatelets, e.g. Clopidogrel (4)
Generally prescribed with aspirin:
- ACS & acute ischaemic stroke - prevents or limits arterial thrombosis
- Prevention of thrombotic arterial events - in patients with CV, cerebrovascular or peripheral arterial disease
- Atrial fibrillation - to reduce risk of intracardiac thrombus & embolic stroke if warfarin or novel oral anticoagulants are contraindicated
- Coronary artery stents - to prevent occlusion
Heparins, e.g. Enoxaparin (LMWH) (2)
- VTE - prophylaxis & initial treatment of DVT or PE
- ACS - LMWH is part of first-line therapy to improve revascularisation & prevent intracoronary thrombus progression
Oral anticoagulants, e.g. Warfarin (3)
- VTE - to prevent clot extension & recurrence
- AF - to prevent embolic complications, e.g. stroke
- Heart valve replacement - to prevent embolic complications, e.g. stroke (short-term for tissue valve & lifelong for mechanical valve)
Novel anticoagulants, e.g. Rivaroxaban (4)
- VTE prophylaxis - following knee (2wks) or hip (5wks) replacement
- VTE treatment
- Prophylaxis of systemic embolism in non-valvular AF, e.f. stroke
- ACS with elevated cardiac biomarkers - prophylaxis of atherothrombotic events following ACS (in combination with aspirin or clopidogrel)
Statins, e.g. Simvastatin (3)
- Primary prevention of CV disease in >40yrs with 10yr CV risk >20%
- Secondary prevention of CV disease - first-line to prevent CV events
- Primary hyperlipidaemia - first-line
Short-acting B2 agonists, e.g. Salbutamol (3)
- Asthma - short-acting to relieve breathlessness
- COPD - short-acting to relieve breathlessness
- Hyperkalaemia - nebulised salbutamol alongside insulin, glucose & calcium gluconate
Long-acting B2 agonists, e.g. Salmeterol (2)
- Asthma - step 3 treatment for chronic asthma in combination with inhaled corticosteroids
- COPD - second-line therapy
Short-acting Anticholinergics, e.g. Ipratropium (2)
- COPD - relieve breathlessness
2. Asthma - relieve breathlessness in acute exacerbations
Long-acting Anticholinergics, e.g. Tiotropium (2)
- COPD - prevention of breathlessness & exacerbations
2. Asthma - step 4 treatment in chronic asthma with long-acting B2 agonist + high-dose inhaled corticosteroids
Oxygen
- Hypoxaemia resulting fmor disease - increases tissue oxygen delivery
- Pneumothorax - accelerates reabsorption of pleural gas
- CO poisoning - reduces half-life of carboxyhaemoglobin