Management of Heart Failure 1 and 2 Flashcards
Which types of drugs improve contractility?
- Positive inotropes:
- Digoxin (digitalis glycosides)
- Pimobendan (Vetmedin)
- Dobutamine
Effects of digoxin?
- Positive inotropic agent
- Negative chronotropic agent
- Increases vagal tone
- Decreases sympathetic tone
- Alters baroreceptor sensitivity
Side-effects of digoxin?
- Predominantly renal excretion (avoid drug or decrease dose in RF)
- Narrow therapeutic range - digoxin toxicity!
- Gastrointestinal side effects
- Induce dysrhythmias at higher doses
What are the clinical signs of digoxin toxicity?
Off food, lethargy, depression, borbgrgymi , arrhythmias can all occur before the classical V and D.
What are the recommended serum levels of digoxin?
- Measure serum digoxin level
- Aim for 0.5ng/ml – 1ng/ml
What are the effects of Pimobendan?
- Inodilator
- Calcium-sensitizing drug (Positive inotrope)
- PDE III inhibitors (Vasodilation)
- Antithrombotic activity
Which types of drug help the heart relax?
- Positive lusitropes:
- Calcium channel blockers (diltiazem, verapamil)
- Beta blocker (propranolol, atenolol)
What are the uses of Atenolol?
- Heart rate control
- Anti-arrhythmic
- Reduce LVOFTO
- Decrease myocardial oxygen demand
What are the goals of therapy for congestive heart failure?
- Control Salt & Water Retention
- Improve Pump Function
- Reduce Workload (decrease afterload, decrease physical activity and stress)
With ACVIM stage B1 heart patients (asymptomatic patients with no radiographic or echocardiographic evidence of cardiac remodelling), how would you manage these cases?
- No treatment - but consider
- Weight control
- Regular re-assessment
- Client education
With ACVIM stage B2 heart patients (asymptomatic patients with radiographic or echocardiographic evidence of left-sided heart enlargement), how would you manage these?
- No treatment - but consider
- Pimobendan
- Weight control
- Regular re-assessment
- Client education
With ACVIM stage C patients (clinical signs of congestive heart failure), how would you manage them?
- Remove fluid - diuretic traditionally used
- Act at kidney to increase urine output
Which types of diuretics are used in CHF?
- Loop
- Furosemide
- Torasemide
- Potassium Sparing
- Spironolactone
- Amiloride
- Thiazide
- Hydrocholorothiazide
Markers elevated in cardiac failure?
Natriuretic peptides – BNP, ANP
Markers elevated in myocardial disease?
- Troponins
- Important in human medicine
Which co-existing diseases may contribute to failure?
- Hypothyroidism
- Cushing’s disease
- Complications
- Renal insufficiency
- Hepatic insufficiency
- NB may affect treatment used
What can cause worsening of left-sided congestive heart failure despite therapy?
- Worsening of disease
- Rupture of CT, atrial tear
- Furosemide resistance?
- Compliance?
- R sided failure and poor GI drug absorption?
What would you do in a case of worsening left-sided congestive heart failure despite therapy?
- Changes to treatment
- Increase dose / frequency of frusemide
- Increase dose / frequency of ace inhibitors
- Increase dose of pimobendan
- Consider adding other drugs
- Antidysrhythmic / negative chronotropes
- Sildenafil if pulmonary hypertension
- Hydrochlorothiazides
- Omega 3 fatty acids