Drugs Used in the Treatment of Hypertension Flashcards
What is mean pressure of blood dictated by
Resistance in small vessels
What property of the wall of arteries is important in regulating blood pressure
Elasticity
What is the purpose of elastic recoil of the arteries during ventricular relaxation (diastole)
To maintain the driving pressure, sending blood forwards into the rest of the circulatory system
Why does your systolic pressure increase as you age
Your arteries become stiffer
What are the effects of high or inadequately controlled blood pressure
There are cardiac, cerebrovascular, vascular as well as other effects of high or inadequately controlled blood pressure
What are the cardiac effects of high blood pressure
Heart attack, angina and cardiac failure
What are the cerebrovascular effects of high blood pressure
Stroke, TIA (transient ischaemic attack), multi-infarct dementia
What are the vascular effects of high blood pressure
Peripheral vascular disease, aortic aneurysm/rupture.
What are the other effects of high blood pressure (not cardiac, cerebrovascular or vascular)
Renal damage, retinopathy
What is the rate of genetic heritability of hypertension
30-50%
On what organ do most of the genes which affect blood pressure act
The kidney
What organ is important in regulating blood pressure
The kidney
What system within the kidney do genetic mutations affect
The renin-angiotensin system which is involved in vasoconstriction and fluid retention or loss (involving angiotensin II, aldosterone, ADH)
What factors can reduce hypertension
- reduce salt intake
- increase exercise
- reduce saturated fat intake
- reduce smoking
- reduce alcohol intake
- increase potassium intake
- increase nitrate intake
At what stage is high blood pressure considered to be pathological
When treatment does more good than harm.
What drugs are the primary 4 drugs used to treat hypertension
ABCD
- ACE inhibitors or angiotensin II receptor blockers
- Beta-blockers
- Calcium entry blockers
- Diuretics
What is the ending of most ACE inhibitors
-pril
What is the ending of most angiotensin II receptor blockers
-sartan
What is the ending of most beta-blockers
-olol
What are four other drugs (not ABCD) used to treat hypertension
Alpha-adrenoceptor blockers, potassium channel openers, loop diuretics, mineralocorticoid antagonists.
What is an example of an alpha adrenoceptor blocker than may be used in the treatment of hypertension
Doxazosin
What is an example of a potassium channel opener that may be used in the treatment of hypertension
Minoxidil
What are two examples of loop diuretics which may be used in the treatment of hypertension
Frusemide, torasemide
What are two examples of mineralocorticoid antagonists which may be used in the treatment of hypertension
Spironolactone, eplerenone
