Hypertension 2 Flashcards
What system are calcium channels normally classified according to?
A system based on their location or functional characteristics. This system uses single letters and defined groups of channels that share similar characteristics
What alpha subunits do L type calcium channels have and where are they found?
- subunits Cav 1.1-1.4
- found in heart, smooth muscle and CNS
What alpha subunits do P/Q type calcium channels have and where are they found?
- Cav 2.1
- found in Purkinje neurons, cerebellar granule cells
What alpha subunits do N type calcium channels have and where are they found?
- Cav 2.2
- found in brain and peripheral nervous system
What alpha subunits do R type calcium channels have and where are they found?
- Cav 2.3
- found in cerebellar granule cells
alpha subunits do T type calcium channels have and where are they found?
- Cav 3.1-3.3
- found in neurons, pacemaker cells and the thalamus
Which calcium channel is an ideal target for modulating blood pressure and why?
L type because it is found in both cardiac muscle and vascular smooth muscle
Why can we avoid blocking the L type channel in skeletal muscle?
There are several different types of L type channel, and the one in skeletal muscle is sufficiently different from that in cardiac and smooth muscle, that we can avoid blocking it
What is peripheral resistance determined by?
Peripheral resistance determined by diameter of vessels – smooth muscle contraction changes diameter of resistance vessels
What is smooth muscle contraction triggered by?
stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system
How does noradrenaline affect vascular tone?
- Noradrenaline acts on alpha1 adrenoceptors
- This activates phospholipase C
- Activation of Phospholipase C triggers release of inositol triphosphate (InsP3) release
- This triggers the calcium store to open and release intracellular calcium (this doesn’t trigger muscle contraction though)
- This leads to calcium sensitive chloride channels being activated
- There is then a Cl- efflux which leads to depolarisation
- This depolarisation leads to opening of L-type calcium channels
- Leads to Ca2+ influx
- And then contraction via Ca-calmodulin Ca2+ release
What stops the opening of L type calcium channels and what does this mean?
- L type calcium blockers
- This stops contraction of smooth muscle and so will dilate resistance vessels
Give examples of Calcium Channel blockers
- Diltiazem (a benzothiazepine – heart L type calcium channels)
- Verapamil (a phenylalkylamine – heart L type calcium channels)
- Amlodipine and Nifedipine (a dihydropyridine – vascular L type calcium channels)
Give a summary of what calcium channel blockers do
- Reduce the opening of L-type calcium channels
- Target organs: vasculature (and heart)
- Vessels: inhibit Ca2+ entry
- Heart: reduced contractility and A-V conduction
What are the side effects from Calcium Channel blockers?
headache, constipation, sometimes hypotension (most pronounced when patient takes first dose: initial dose hypotension, also when patient changes position: postural hypotension) which produces momentary faintness
What are some useful drug name hints?
- ACE inhibitors – pril
- ATII antagonists – artan
- Ca2+ blockers (DHP) – ipine
- B-blockers – olol
- A-blockers – zosin
What do all diuretics cause?
diuresis
What is diuresis?
Increased urine output
What do diuretics cause?
- Intravascular salt and water depletion
Short term effect
Renal failure
Apart from hypertension what else are diuretics used to treat?
- Also used to treat oedema
Pulmonary oedema due to heart failure
Side effects of other therapy
What are the general considerations to do with Diuretics?
- Increase excretion of Na+, Cl- and water
- Pattern of electrolyte excretion and max response varies with class
The closer to the glomeros the diuretic is acting the larger the maximum effect) - Effects can be additive or synergistic
What are the three main classes of diuretics?
Loop
Thiazide
Potassium sparing
How does the loop of Henley work?
Descending limb: no active transport, water permeable
Ascending limb: active transport Na+, active transport K+, Cl-, water impermeable
Ascending limb pumps salt into surrounding tissues, creates a gradient, water leaves from descending limb
How do loop diuretics work?
Block ion transport processes in ascending limb:
- If we block salt-sodium chloride transport process we will stop moving salt out of the urine and into the surrounding tissues, therefore water cannot be absorbed from the descending limb
What are the main examples of loop diuretics?
furosemide (frusemide) and bumetanide
What does the loop diuretic inhibit in the loop of Henle?
Loop diuretic inhibits Na+/K+/2Cl- co-transporter in ascending limb of the loop of Henle
What are the clinical uses of loop diuretics?
Heart failure Pulmonary oedema Renal failure All involve salt and water overload Hypertension with renal failure: also get vascular effects