FA Cardiovascular Flashcards
Primary (Essential) Hypertension Therapy
Diuretics, ACE inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs), calcium channel blockers.
Hypertension with
CHF Therapy
Diuretics, ACE inhibitors/ARBs, β-blockers (compensated CHF), aldosterone antagonists.
β-blockers must be used cautiously in decompensated CHF and are contraindicated in cardiogenic shock.
Hypertension with
Diabetes Mellitus
ACE inhibitors/ARBs. Calcium channel blockers, diuretics, β-blockers, α-blockers.
ACE inhibitors/ARBs are protective against diabetic nephropathy.
Calcium Channel Blockers
Amlodipine, nimodipine, nifedipine (dihydropyridine); diltiazem, verapamil (non-dihydropyridine).
Calcium Channel Blockers Mechanism
Block voltage-dependent L-type calcium channels of cardiac and smooth muscle, thereby reduce muscle contractility.
Vascular smooth muscle—amlodipine = nifedipine > diltiazem > verapamil.
Heart—verapamil > diltiazem > amlodipine = nifedipine (verapamil = ventricle).
Calcium Channel Blockers Use
Dihydropyridine (except nimodipine): hypertension, angina (including Prinzmetal), Raynaud phenomenon.
Non-dihydropyridine: hypertension, angina, atrial fibrillation/flutter.
Nimodipine: subarachnoid hemorrhage (prevents cerebral vasospasm).
Calcium Channel Blockers Toxicity
Cardiac depression, AV block, peripheral edema, flushing, dizziness, hyperprolactinemia, and constipation.
Hydralazine Mechanism
↑ cGMP smooth muscle relaxation. Vasodilates arterioles > veins; afterload reduction.
Hydralazine Use
Severe hypertension, CHF. First-line therapy for hypertension in pregnancy, with methyldopa. Frequently coadministered with a β-blocker to prevent reflex tachycardia.
Hydralazine Toxicity
Compensatory tachycardia (contraindicated in angina/CAD), fluid retention, nausea, headache, angina. Lupus-like syndrome.
Hypertensive Emergency
Commonly used drugs include nitroprusside, nicardipine, clevidipine, labetalol, and fenoldopam.
Nitroprusside Mechanism
Short acting; ↑ cGMP via direct release of NO.
Nitroprusside Use
Hypertensive emergency
Nitroprusside Toxicity
Can cause cyanide toxicity (releases cyanide).
Fenoldopam Mechanism
Dopamine D1 receptor agonist—coronary, peripheral, renal, and splanchnic vasodilation. ↓ BP and ↑ natriuresis.
Fenoldopam Use
Hypertensive emergency
Nitroglycerin, Isosorbide Dinitrate Mechanism
Vasodilate by ↑ NO in vascular smooth muscle → ↑ in cGMP and smooth muscle relaxation. Dilate veins»_space; arteries. ↓ preload.
Nitroglycerin, Isosorbide Dinitrate Use
Angina, acute coronary syndrome, pulmonary edema.
Nitroglycerin, Isosorbide Dinitrate Toxicity
Reflex tachycardia (treat with β-blockers), hypotension, flushing, headache, “Monday disease” in industrial exposure: development of tolerance for the vasodilating action during the work week and loss of tolerance over the weekend results in tachycardia, dizziness, and headache upon reexposure.
Lipid Lowering Agents
HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitors (lovastatin, pravastatin, simvastatin, atorvastatin, rosuvastatin), Niacin (vitamin B3), Bile Acid Resins (cholestyramine, colestipol, colesevelam), Cholesterol Absorption Blockers (ezetimibe), Fibrates (gemfibrozil, clofibrate, bezafibrate, fenofibrate)
HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitor Mechanism
Inhibit conversion of HMG-CoA to mevalonate, a cholesterol precursor.
↓↓↓ LDL, ↑ HDL, ↓ triglycerides
HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitor Toxicity
Hepatotoxicity ( LFTs),
rhabdomyolysis (esp.
when used with fibrates
and niacin)
Niacin (Vitamin B3) Mechanism
Inhibits lipolysis in adipose tissue; reduces hepatic VLDL synthesis.
↓↓ LDL, ↑↑ HDL, ↓ triglycerides
Niacin (Vitamin B3) Toxicity
Red, flushed face, which is ↓ by aspirin or longterm use.
Hyperglycemia (acanthosis nigricans).
Hyperuricemia (exacerbates gout).
Bile Acid Resin Mechanism
Prevent intestinal reabsorption of bile acids; liver must use cholesterol to make more.
↓↓ LDL, slighlty ↑ HDL, slightly ↑ triglycerides
Bile Acid Resin Toxicity
Patients hate it—tastes bad and causes G discomfort, ↓ absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. Cholesterol gallstones.
Ezetimibe Mechanism
Prevent cholesterol absorption at small intestine brush border.
↓↓ LDL, no effect on HDL, no effect on triglycerides
Ezetimibe Toxicity
Rare ↑ LFTs, diarrhea.
Fibrate Mechanism
Upregulate LPL → ↑ TG clearance.
Activates PPAR-α to induce HDL synthesis.
↓ LDL, ↑ HDL, ↓↓↓ triglycerides
Fibrate Toxicity
Myositis (↑ risk with concurrent statins), hepatotoxicity (↑ LFTs), cholesterol gallstones (esp. with concurrent bile acid resins)
Cardiac Glycosides
Digoxin—75% bioavailability, 20–40% protein bound, t1/2 = 40 hours, urinary excretion.
Digoxin Mechanism
Direct inhibition of Na+/K+ ATPase leads to indirect inhibition of Na+/Ca2+ exchanger/antiport. ↑ [Ca2+]i → positive inotropy. Stimulates vagus nerve → ↓ HR.
Digoxin Use
CHF (↑ contractility); atrial fibrillation (↓ conduction at AV node and depression of SA node).
Digoxin Toxicity
Cholinergic—nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, blurry yellow vision (think Van Gogh).
ECG— ↑ PR, ↓ QT, ST scooping, T-wave inversion, arrhythmia, AV block.
Can lead to hyperkalemia, which indicates poor prognosis.
Factors predisposing to toxicity—renal failure (↓ excretion), hypokalemia (permissive for digoxin binding at K+-binding site on Na+/K+ ATPase), verapamil, amiodarone, quinidine (↓ digoxin clearance; displaces digoxin from tissue-binding sites).
Digoxin Antidote
Slowly normalize K+, cardiac pacer, anti-digoxin Fab fragments, Mg2+.
Class I Antiarrhythmic Mechanism
Na+ channel blockers. Slow or block (↓) conduction (especially in depolarized cells). ↓ slope of phase 0 depolarization and ↑ threshold for firing in abnormal pacemaker cells. Are state dependent (selectively depress tissue that is frequently depolarized [e.g., tachycardia]). Hyperkalemia causes ↑ toxicity for all class I drugs.
Class IA Antiarrhythmics
Quinidine, Procainamide, Disopyramide.
Class IA Antiarrhythmic Mechanism
↑ AP duration, ↑ effective refractory period (ERP), ↑ QT interval.
Class IA Antiarrhythmic Use
Both atrial and ventricular arrhythmias,
especially re-entrant and ectopic SVT and VT.
Class IA Antiarrhythmic Toxicity
Cinchonism (headache, tinnitus with quinidine), reversible SLE-like syndrome (procainamide), heart failure (disopyramide), thrombocytopenia, torsades de pointes due to ↑ QT interval.
Class IB Antiarrhythmics
Lidocaine, Mexiletine.
Class IB Antiarrhythmic Mechanism
↓ AP duration. Preferentially affect ischemic or depolarized Purkinje and ventricular tissue. Phenytoin can also fall into the IB category.
Class IB Antiarrhythmic Use
Acute ventricular arrhythmias (especially post- MI), digitalis-induced arrhythmias. IB is Best post-MI.
Class IB Antiarrhythmic Toxicity
CNS stimulation/depression, cardiovascular
depression.
Class IC Antiarrhythmic Mechanism
Significantly prolongs refractory period in AV node.
Minimal effect on AP duration.
Class IC Antiarrhythmics
Flecainamide, Propafenone
Class IC Antiarrhythmic Use
SVTs, including atrial fibrillation. Only as a last resort in refractory VT.
Class IC Antiarrhythmic Toxicity
Proarrhythmic, especially post-MI (contraindicated). IC is Contraindicated in structural and ischemic heart disease.
Class II Antiarrhythmics
β-blockers (metoprolol, propranolol, esmolol, atenolol, timolol, carvedilol)
β-blocker Mechanism
Decrease SA and AV nodal activity by ↓ cAMP, ↓ Ca2+ currents. Suppress abnormal pacemakers by ↓ slope of phase 4.
AV node particularly sensitive—↑ PR interval. Esmolol very short acting.
β-blocker Use
SVT, slowing ventricular rate during atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter.
β-blocker Toxicity
Impotence, exacerbation of COPD and asthma, cardiovascular effects (bradycardia, AV block, CHF), CNS effects (sedation, sleep alterations). May mask the signs of hypoglycemia.
Metoprolol can cause dyslipidemia. Propranolol can exacerbate vasospasm in Prinzmetal angina. Contraindicated in cocaine users (risk of unopposed α-adrenergic receptor agonist activity). Treat overdose with glucagon.
Class III Antiarrhythmics
K+ channel blockers (Amiodarone, Ibutilide, Dofetilide, Sotalol)
Class III Antiarrhythmic Mechanism
↑ AP duration, ↑ ERP. Used when other
antiarrhythmics fail. ↑ QT interval.
Class III Antiarrhythmic Use
Atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter; ventricular tachycardia (amiodarone, sotalol).
Class III Antiarrhythmic Toxicity
Sotalol—torsades de pointes, excessive β blockade. Ibutilide—torsades de pointes. Amiodarone—pulmonary fibrosis, hepatotoxicity, hypothyroidism/hyperthyroidism (amiodarone is 40% iodine by weight), corneal deposits, skin deposits (blue/gray) resulting in photodermatitis, neurologic effects, constipation, cardiovascular effects (bradycardia, heart block, CHF). Remember to check PFTs, LFTs, and TFTs when using amiodarone. Amiodarone has class I, II, III, and IV effects and alters the lipid membrane.
Class IV Antiarrhythmics
Ca2+ Channel Blockers: Verapamil, diltiazem.
Verapamil, Diltiazem Mechanism
↓ conduction velocity, ↑ ERP, ↑ PR interval.
Verapamil, Diltiazem Use
Prevention of nodal arrhythmias (e.g., SVT), rate control in atrial fibrillation.
Verapamil, Diltiazem Toxicity
Constipation, flushing, edema, CV effects (CHF, AV block, sinus node depression).
Adenosine Mechanism
↑ K+ out of cells → hyperpolarizing the cell and ↓ ICa
Adenosine Use
Drug of choice in diagnosing/abolishing supraventricular tachycardia. Very short acting (~15 sec).
Adenosine Toxicity
Adverse effects include flushing, hypotension, chest pain. Effects blocked by theophylline and caffeine.
Mg2+ Use
Effective in torsades de pointes and digoxin toxicity.