ICL 1.8: Renal Pharmacology Flashcards
what are diuretics?
agent that increases urine volume
what are natriuretics?
they increases renal Na+ excretion
this increases urine volume; these agents are usually called “diuretics”
what are aquatics?
increases excretion of water without electrolyte loss
also often called “diuretics”
what are diuretics mainly used for?
- HTN
2. edema/fluid retention conditions like CHF, liver cirrhosis and nephrotic syndrome
what part of the nephron do osmotic diuretics work on?
- PCT
2. descending limb of loop of Henle
what part of the nephron do carbonic anhydrase inhibitors work on?
- PCT
2. thick descending limb
what part of the nephron do loop diuretics work on?
thick ascending limb
what part of the nephron do thiazide diuretics work on?
DCT
what part of the nephron do K+ sparing diuretics work on?
collecting duct
what part of the nephron do ADH antagonists work on?
collecting duct
how do natriuretics work?
they diminish Na+ reabsorption at different sites along the nephron, increasing urinary Na+
since water follows Na+, urine output is increased.
how does Na+ get reabsorbed into blood?
all the Na+ transporting cells have Na/K/ATPase pumps on the basolateral (blood) side which:
- return Na+ to the blood
- keep cellular Na+ levels low (lets filtered Na+ move down gradient into cells via carriers)
- raise K+ levels to polarize the cell
why do diuretics act at different sites of the nephron?
since Na+ can’t freely enter cells, each segment of the nephron has a different way of moving Na+ from filtrate into the cells
different drugs specifically target these different Na+ carriers/channels on the apical (urine) side
what is the general MOA of most diuretics?
most diuretics act by blocking membrane transport channels along the nephron, to prevent Na+ reabsorption and alter ionic and water content of urine
do diuretics cause loss of K+?
most diuretics (all except the K-sparing diuretics) cause loss of K+ as part of the sodium-water diuresis
- any agent that increases flow through the tubule increases K+ excretion
- loop diuretics inhibit a pump that reabsorbs K+
- diuretics decrease BP and Na+ delivery to the distal tubule –> both stimulate the RAAS to make aldosterone, which increases K+ and H+ excretion in urine in exchange for reabsorption of Na+ and water
a potential side effect from H+ loss is alkalosis and loss of K+ causes hypokalemia
how does hypokalemia clinically manifest?
- muscle weakness
- cardiac arrhythmias
- renal abnormalities
- glucose intolerance
which drug classes are natriuretics?
- carbonic anhydrase inhibitors
- loop diuretics
- thiazide diuretics
- K-spacing diuretics
which drug classes are aquaretics?
- osmotic diuretics
2. vasopressin antagonists
which drugs are K sparing diuretics?
- aldosterone antagonists
2. ENaC channel blockers
which substances get reabsorbed in the PCT?
- HCO3-
- sugars
- amino acids
- Na+
carbonic anhydrase inhibitors work here! they work on enzymes
which drugs are carbonic anhydrase inhibitors?
- acetazolamide
2. methazolamide
what is the MOA of carbonic anhydrase inhibitors
they work at the PCT and target carbonic anhydrase enzymes
they reversibly inhibit CA enzymes which blocks HCO3- reabsorption (and thus intracellular H+ generation), decreases apical Na+/H+ exchanger (NHE3) activity so Na+ stays in urine
without CA, CO2 + H2O moves into the cell but you can’t generate H+ or HCO3- inside the cells to power the H+/Na+ pump on the luminal side or the HCO3- and Na/K/ATPase pumps on the basolateral side
it’s a weak diuretic though because Na+ gets reabsorbed downstream
other effects include pH changes; urine alkalinization / blood acidification (CA is key in acid-base homeostasis)
what are the uses of carbonic anhydrase inhibitors?
they’re the first class of diuretics but now they aren’t really used as diuretics and instead they’re used based on their ability to alter fluid transport at non-kidney sites and to alter pH
- centrencephalic epilepsy
- glaucoma treatment
- intracranial HTN
- altitude sickness
- off table uses: sleep apnea and hypercapnia, metabolic alkalosis, prevention of renal calculi
how do carbonic anhydrase inhibitors treat glaucoma?
Ciliary body secretes HCO3- from blood into aqueous humor
CAIs reduce IO fluid production
how do carbonic anhydrase inhibitors treat intracranial HTN?
CAIs reduce CSF production
how do carbonic anhydrase inhibitors treat altitude sickness
pulmonary edema can happen at high altitudes
CAIs can ↓CSF production & ↑pH which increases ventilation rate above normal which helps with altitude sickness!
what are the side effects of carbonic anhydrase inhibitors?
- metabolic acidosis from reduction in body stores of HCO3-
- may promote nephrolithiasis since calcium salts are less soluble in alkaline urine
- hypokalemia
- drowsiness and paresthesia with large doses
1 and 2 are related to altered pH
what are the contraindications of carbonic anhydrase inhibitors?
- sulfa allergy since CAIs are structural similarity to sulfa antibiotics –> skin rash is common, anaphylaxis rare
patients with sulfa allergies are much more likely to have a reaction to a sulfa antimicrobial vs. other sulfa agents so the current guidance: use sulfa diuretics cautiously or avoid
- renal/hepatic dysfunction
- cirrhosis because the alkaline urine impairs NH4+ excretion (hyperammonemia, hepatic encephalopathy)