Medicines knowledge, 1 Flashcards
1
Q
Amiodarone
- drug class
A
- antiarrhythmic
2
Q
Amiodarone
- common indication
A
- treatment & prophylaxis of tachyarrhythmias
- ventricular tachycarhida & AF
3
Q
Amiodarone
- doses
A
- starting orally at 200mg TDS for 1 week, then 200 mg BD for 1 week
- maintenance dose, orally at 100-200mg OD
- 400mg may be needed especially for ventricular arrhythmias
- take with meals
4
Q
Amiodarone
- key counselling points
A
- Avoid sun exposure, wear protective clothing and use sunscreen (eg broad-spectrum, factor 30 or 50+ sunscreen containing zinc or titanium oxides) when outside
- Amiodarone interacts with grapefruit juice and many other drugs; avoid grapefruit juice
- Tell your doctor if you develop shortness of breath or a dry cough, problems with your vision, weight loss, muscle weakness or worsening of your heart symptoms
- ADV
- nausea & vomitting (especially while loading)
- blue/ greyish skin discolour changes
- hyper/ hypothyroidism (first 2 years)
- blurred vision
- taste disturbances, metallic taste or loss of taste
- fatigue
5
Q
Amiodarone
- monitoring
A
- Monitor for heart rate
- Monitor liver function by doing test at baseline and very 6 months
- Monitor for adverse effects such as cough and shortness of breath
- need regular blood tests, ECGs and chest x-rays while taking amiodarone
6
Q
Amlodipine
- drug class
A
- dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker
7
Q
Amlodipine
- common indications
A
- hypertension
- angina
8
Q
Amlodipine
- doses
- directions
A
- adult dose, child>6yo: initially 2.5–5 mg OD, increasing if necessary after at least 1–2 weeks to a MAX of 10 mg OD
- Elderly, hepatic impairment: Adult, initially 2.5 mg OD
- take at the same time each day, more effective & help you remember when to take it
- with or without food, doesn’t matter
9
Q
Amlodipine
- key counselling points
- adverse effects
A
- nausea, patient may experience vasodilatory effects such as headache, dizziness, flushing, palpitations & peripheral oedema
- this medicine may cause dizziness, especially when getting up from lying down. Lie down until the symptoms pass if feeling dizzy
- Avoid drinking large amounts of alcohol as it can make you more dizzy or sleepy while on this medication and also it increases blood pressure
- raises K+ levels, tell pharmacist or Dr before starting any supplements/ vitamins
10
Q
Amlodipine
- adversee effects
- referral
A
- all medicines can cause adverse effects, but not everyone will experience them
- most common adv is dizziness, you mau feel dizzy in the morning but it should subside in a couple of days as your body gets used to the medicine
- if you get any unexplained dry cough or palpitions, see Dr
11
Q
Amlodipine
- monitoring
A
- Monitor blood pressure
- sx improvement
- Monitor for adverse effects such as skin reactions and difficulty breathing
- falls risk
- peripheral oedema
- tinnitus
12
Q
Apixaban
- drug class
A
- DOAC: direct-acting oral anti-coagulant
- factor Xa inhibitor
13
Q
Apixaban
- common indications
A
- prevention of stroke
- prevention of VTE following hip or knee replacement
- treatment of acute VTE & prevention of subsequent VTE
14
Q
Apixaban
- doses
A
- prevention of VTE after hip/ knee replacement
- 2.5mg BD, starting 12-24 hours after surgery
- continue for 10-24 days after knee replacement OR 32-38 days after hip replacement
- treatment of acute VTE and prevention of subsequent VTE
- 10mg BD for 7 days, then 5mg BD
- may reduce dose after 6 months to 2.5mg BD
15
Q
Apixaban
- key counselling points
A
- take at the same time each day; use a calendar or reminder on phone, and mark off after taking the dose
- see Dr for regular checks
- swallow whole with a glass of water
- Do not take aspirin or anti-inflammtory medicines while being treated with this medicine
- ADV
- common: nausea, signs of bleeding
- infrequent: thrombocytopenia, abnormal liver function tests
- rare: allergic reactions
