Myocardial Ischaemia as a drug target

Question 1

What is Myocardial Ischaemia?

AKA Coronary artery disease

Answer 1

Blood vessels supplying the heart are narrowed or blocked

Question 2

What is the coronary circulation?

Answer 2

The circulation of blood in the vessels that supply the heart muscle.

Question 3

What are the 4 main coronary arteries?

Answer 3

Right coronary artery
Left main coronary
Left anterior descending
Left circumflex artery

Question 4

What causes coronary artery disease?

Answer 4

A build up of fatty deposits (atheroma) on the walls of the arteries around the heart

Question 5

What factors lead to poor myocardial perfusion?

Answer 5

Atheroma formation (increase the likelihood of clot formation)
Aortic valve stenosis
Increased Heart rate

Question 6

How is Ischaemia heart disease treated?

Answer 6

B-adrenoreceptor blockers (slows HR, reduces force of contraction and rate = less demand and improved perfusion)

Calcium channel blockers
Nitrates (decrease SM tone - reducing preload)

Blood thinners

Question 7

What happens to the endocardial arteries when the heart rate increases?

Answer 7

When HR increases time in systole increases = more compression of endocardial arteries

Narrowed arteries = cardiac cells lack nutrients

Question 8

when does cardiac perfusion occur?

Answer 8

In diastole