PBL 6 - PHARMACOLOGY - anti-hypertensive drugs Flashcards
what are the aims of anti-hypertensive drugs?
- reduce BP
- show a predictable dose-effect relationship
- reduce the incidence of hypertensive complications (eg. CHD, stroke)
- provide 24h control
- be effective as a once daily tablet
- have an acceptable profile of side effects
why is there poor adherence with anti-hypertensive drugs?
- hypertension often has no side effects
- medications often have side effects
- patients feel worse while taking medication
what is the equation for BP?
BP = CO x TPR
how can cardiac output be lowered in order to reduce the BP?
reduce the:
- heart rate
- stroke volume
- plasma volume
how is TPR reduced in order to reduce BP?
dilating arterioles
how does SNS increase CO?
by stimulating the heart to contract more frequently and with more force
how does the SNS increase TPR?
by causing arterioles to constrict
what do they kidneys control?
blood volume by regulating electrolyte and water reabsorption — longer term regulation of BP
describe minute-to-minute vs longer term control of BP
- minute-to-minute: SNS
- long term: kidney
what is another name of B-adrenergic receptor blockers?
beta blockers
what do names of beta blockers end in?
‘olol’
where is adrenaline released from?
chromaffin cells in the adrenal gland
what is noradrenaline released from?
sympathetic nerves
what do beta blockers do?
- compete with noradrenaline and adrenaline for binding to b1-adrenergic receptors in the heart and kidney
- reduces HR, force of ventricular contraction and renin release from the kidney
describe the b1-adrenergic receptors
- 3 types of B-adrenergic receptor found in different tissues — B1-subtype in heart and kidney
- they are all G-protein coupled receptors that employ Gs to simulate adenylate cyclase, cAMP formation and the activation of protein kinase A
- stimulating the SNS increases HR, the force of ventricular contraction and renin release from the kindey
- these effects are mediated by NAdr and Adr acting at b1-adrenoceptors in the SA node, ventricular muscle and juxtaglomerular cells in the kidney
- all suppressed by beta blockers
name and describe some beta blockers
b1-selective blockers: - atenolol - metoprolol - bisprolol (all used 1x daily)
- propranolol and caverdilol are not usually used to treat hypertension
- propranolol is a non-selective B-blocker — inhibit both B1 and B2 receptors
- carvedilol is additionally an antagonist at a-adrenergic receptors
describe the clinical use of beta blockers in hypertension treatment
- no longer used as a 1st line drug for treating hypertension
- used when hypertension is associated with another condition that can benefit from B-receptor blockade eg. angina or HF
- does not reduce mortality and are not as effective at preventing stroke or MI
what are some common side effects of beta blockers?
less well tolerated than other anti-hypertensive drugs
- cold hands, due to loss of the B2-receptor mediated vasodilation in the skin
- fatigue, due to the fall in CO and impaired B2-receptor mediation vasodilation in skeletal muscle
what are some less common side effects of beta blockers?
- cardiac depression — loss of response to the sympathetic drive to the heart causes bradycardia — can progress to heart block or heart failure. occurs mainly in elder patients. more likely if given with a calcium channel antagonist
- bronchoconstriction — due to inhibition of B2 receptors in airways. exacerbation of asthma. more common with non-selective B blockers
describe diuretics
- by reducing salt and water reabsorption from the glomerular filtrate in the kidney, the drugs increase the excretion of Na+, which is followed by water to maintain osmolarity
- reduces plasma volume and causes a drop in CO
where do diuretics act?
in the nephron = functional unit of the kidney
what does the nephron do?
separates water, ions and small molecules from the blood, filters to waste and returns components that are needed back to the blood
what does arterial blood pass through as it enters the cortex of the kidney?
Bowman’ s capsule — contains glomerulus = tuft of capillaries that filters blood as it flows through
on its journey through the kidney, why are ions and water reabsorbed into the blood?
to maintain plasma electrolyte composition and plasma volume
what process do diuretics interfere with and result in?
reabsorption process, resulting in an increased loss of salt and water
what are the 2 main sites in the nephron where diuretics work?
loop of Henle and the distal convoluted tubule
where is impermeable to water but permeable to ions?
the walls of the ascending limb
in the thick ascending limb, what moves ions into epithelial cells?
sodium, potassium, and 2 chloride co-transporter (symporter)
how is the epithelial cell’s (in ascending wall) ion composition maintained?
there are transporters on the opposite basolateral side of the cell that export the ions to the IF — water doesn’t follow here
what happens to the interstitial fluid on the other side of the ascending wall? what happens here?
build up of ions and the tubular fluid becomes dilate/hypotonic — this is the site at which most of the Na+ is reabsorbed from the tubular fluid, into the IF and then back to the circulation
what do loop diuretics block and what is the effect of this?
- block the NaKCl transporter
- inhibits removal of ions from the tubular fluid in the thick ascending limb of the loop of Henle
- renal fluid is more concentrated so when it reaches the distal convoluted tubule (permeable to H2O), water osmotic forces draw water from the epithelial cells into the tubular lumen
- result is increased loss of salt and water from the body
apart from the thick ascending limb, where is salt also reabsorbed?
distal convoluted tubule (DCT) (although a smaller proportion of the total)
what transporter is used in the DCT?
NaCl co-transporter
what do thiazide diuretics target?
NaCl co-transproter
what do thiazide diuretics inhibit?
inhibit the NaCl transporter and prevent the removal of Na+ and Cl- from tubular fluid, along with the water that would have travelled with the ions to maintain osmolarity
increased loss of salt and water from the body
epithelial cells in the distal tubule and collecting duct express receptors for what hormone?
mineralocorticoid
what is the main endogenous activator of the mineralocorticoid receptor?
aldosterone
where is aldosterone produced?
adrenal cortex (zona glomerulosa)
what is the result of aldosterone activating the receptors?
- increases the expression of basolateral Na/K pumps, thereby increasing pump activity
- increases reabsorption of Na+ ions and its accompanying water, while decreasing the reabsorption of K+, which is lost in urine
what drug blocks the mineralocorticoid receptor and what is its effect?
- spironolactone (K+ sparing diuretic)
- prevents the action of aldosterone
- causes increased excretion of Na+ and water, while preventing K+ ions in the circulation