Peter's Pharmacology Flashcards
List 5 types of drug that act on the kidney
- Diuretics
- ADH receptor agonists
- ADH receptor antagonists
- SGLT2 inhibitors
- Uricosuric drugs
What are the 2 main uses for diuretics?
- To increase urine flow
- To offload oedema
How do diuretics…
- Increase urine flow
- Offload oedema
…?
- Increase urine flow:
By inhibiting the reabsorption of Na+ in the nephron, resulting in reduced H2O reabsorption as H2O follows Na+. H2O follows Na+ out in the urine - Offload oedema:
As increased excretion of Na+ and H2O in the urine reduces extracellular fluid volume
Why does oedema occur?
When there is an imbalance between the rate of formation and the rate of absorption of interstitial fluid
What is the principal force driving H2O…
- out of the capillaries and into the interstitial fluid
- from the interstitial fluid back into the capillaries
…?
- Out of the capillaries and into the interstitial fluid:
Hydrostatic pressure in the capillary i.e., H2O attracted to lower H2O conc. in the interstitial fluid - From the interstitial fluid back into the capillaries:
Oncotic pressure of the plasma (mainly driven by plasma proteins, esp. albumin) i.e., H2O attracted to the PP’s in the capillaries
Starling forces state that formation of interstitial fluid is proportional to…?
(Hydrostatic pressure in capillary - Hydrostatic pressure in interstitial fluid) - (Oncotic pressure in capillary - Oncotic pressure in interstitial fluid)
Diseases that…
-Increase/decrease hydrostatic pressure in the capillary
and/or
-Increase/decrease oncotic pressure in the capillary
… produce oedema?
Diseases that increase hydrostatic pressure in the capillary or diseases that decrease oncotic pressure in the capillary produce oedema
List 3 diseases that can cause oedema
Nephrotic syndrome
Congestive heart failure
Hepatic cirrhosis w/ ascites (as resistance to blood flow through the liver increases capillary pressure)
The normal glomerulus is permeable to H2O, electrolytes, and most low weight compounds. It is impermeable to large plasma proteins.
How is this changed in nephrotic syndrome?
Nephrotic syndrome is a disorder of glomerular filtration, allowing large plasma proteins (mainly albumin) to enter the filtrate and appear in the urine (proteinuria)
? urine is a sign of proteinuria
Frothy
Why does nephrotic syndrome cause oedema?
- Filtration of plasma proteins results in decreased plasma oncotic pressure (as there is less protein in the capillaries)
- This increases the formation of interstitial fluid (as H2O is driven out of the capillaries), leading to oedema
- As H2O is driven out of the capillaries, blood volume and CO decrease
- The kidneys receive less blood flow and so RAAS is activated to increase BP
- Aldosterone causes reabsorption of Na+ and H2O
- This further decreases plasma oncotic pressure as the blood is being diluted by retained H2O
- Further decrease in plasma oncotic pressure causes more oedema
How do diuretics help treat nephrotic syndrome?
By inhibiting the reabsorption of Na+ in the nephron. This causes increased excretion of Na+ in the urine, which in turn causes increased H2O excretion in the urine, as H2O follows Na+ movement
Increased excretion of H2O and Na+ in the urine reduces ECF volume
What are the 3 major sites of diuretic action in the nephron?
- Thick ascending limb of the Loop of Henle
- Early distal convoluted tubule
- Late distal tubule, collecting tubule and collecting duct
X diuretics act on Y transporters in the thick ascending loop of Henle to block Na2+ reabsorption
X - loop
Y - Na+/K+/2Cl- co-transporters
X diuretics act on Y transporters in the early distal convoluted tubule to block Na2+ reabsorption
X - Thiazide
Y - Na+/Cl- co-transporters
X diuretics act on Y transporters in the late distal tubule, collecting tubule and collecting duct to block Na2+ reabsorption
X - Potassium-sparing
Y - Na+/K+ exchangers
The site of action of most diuretics (except Spironolactone) is the apical membrane of tubular cells. By what 3 mechanisms can diuretics enter the filtrate to act on the apical membrane of tubular cells?
- Glomerular filtration (as the drug is not bound to plasma protein and so can be be filtered into the tubular fluid)
- Secretion via organic anion transporters (OATs) in the proximal tubule (transport acidic drugs)
- Secretion via organic cation transporters (OCTs) in the proximal tubule (transport basic drugs)
Describe how secretion of organic anions into the tubular fluid occurs via organic anion transporters (OATs) in the proximal tubule
- OA- enters the basolateral membrane of the tubular cell from the blood stream via active transport by OAT1, 2, & 3 in exchange for alpha-KG
- OA- also enters the apical membrane of the tubular cell from the filtrate via active transport by OAT4
- OA- exits over the apical membrane into the tubular fluid via active transport proteins MRP2/4 and BCRP
Describe how secretion of organic cations into the tubular fluid occurs via organic cation transporters (OCTs) in the proximal tubule
- OC+ enters the basolateral membrane of the tubular cell from the blood stream on OCT2 transporter down its concentration gradient
- OC+ exits over the apical membrane into the tubular fluid via active transporters MATE and MDR1
Which diuretics use…
- Organic anion transporters (OATs)
- Organic cation transporters (OCTs)
…?
OATs - thiazide and loop diuretics
OCTs - potassium-sparing diuretics
Why do loop and thiazide diuretics enter the nephron by the OAT mechanism?
They are strongly bound to plasma protein, and so cannot be filtered at the glomerulus
They must instead enter the filtrate by secretion in the proximal tubule, via the OAT mechanism (as they are acidic)
Describe the mechanism of action of loop diuretics
They block sodium reabsorption in the thick ascending loop of Henle by inhibiting the Na+/K+/Cl- triple transporter via binding at its Cl- site
What effect does inhibition of the Na+/K+/Cl- transporter have on the tubular cell?
Na+, K+ and Cl- are not reabsorbed
Therefore…
- The interstitium of the medulla is less concentrated
- Dilution of the filtrate in the thick ascending loop of Henle is prevented (dilution of filtrate is its function)
- Na+ load to the distal regions of the nephron is increased, therefore increasing K+ loss
- Excretion of Ca2+ and Mg2+ is increased
Why are loop diuretics called ‘high ceiling’ diuretics?
Because they are the diuretic that causes the most profound diuresis
This is due to their action in the thick ascending limb of the loop of Henle, which is responsible for reabsorption of ~25% of filtered Na+
They cause this large amount of filtrate to instead be excreted
What are the clinical uses of loop diuretics?
- To reduce salt and water overload e.g., CKD, nephrotic syndrome, acute pulmonary oedema, chronic heart failure
- To increase urine output in AKI
- As an add-on treatment in hypertension (often in the presence of renal insufficiency)
- To reduce acute hypercalcaemia
Why might loop diuretics be less effective in nephrotic syndrome?
As they travel bound to proteins, the loop diuretics may prefer to bind to the protein found in the filtrate in nephrotic syndrome, instead of the Na+/K+/Cl- triple transporter
This means they will be excreted alongside the proteinuria
Why are loop diuretics especially useful for pulmonary oedema caused by heart failure?
They possess an additional, indirect, venodilator effect which acts even before diuresis
What are the main side effects of using loop diuretics?
Hypokalaemia Metabolic alkalosis Hypocalcaemia Hypomagnesaemia Hyperuricaemia -> gout Hypovolaemia and hypotension (due to decreased circulating fluid volume) Dose-related hearing loss
What are the contraindications and cautions of loop diuretic use?
Contraindications:
- Severe hypovolaemia
- Dehydration
Cautions:
- Severe hypokalaemia
- Severe hyponatraemia
- Hepatic encephalopathy
- Gout
Name the 2 principal loop diuretics
Furosemide
Bumetanide
What is the mechanism of action of thiazide diuretics?
They block sodium reabsorption in the early distal convoluted tubule by inhibiting the Na+/Cl- co-transporter via binding at its Cl- site
What effect does Na+/Cl- co-transporter inhibition have on the tubular cell?
Na+ and Cl- are not reabsorbed
Therefore…
- Dilution of the filtrate in the early distal convoluted tubule is prevented (as it is impermeable to water here)
- Na+ load to the distal regions of the late distal convoluted tubule and collecting tubule is increased, therefore increasing K+ loss
- Reabsorption of Ca2+ is increased (this is opposite to loop diuretics, unsure why)
Why do thiazide diuretics produce a modest diuresis when compared to loop diuretics?
Due to their site of action in the early distal convoluted tubule, which is responsible for reabsorption of ~5% of filtered Na+ (as opposed to ~25% in loop diuretics)
This means they cause only ~5% of filtered Na+ to be excreted
What are the clinical uses of thiazide diuretics?
- Mild heart failure
- Hypertension (as an add-on treatment)
(main 2) - Severe resistant oedema or pulmonary oedema (in combo with a loop agent)
- Renal stone disease
- Nephrogenic diabetes insipidus
Why are thiazide diuretics useful as an add-on anti-hypertensive agent?
They possess an additional, indirect, venodilator effect
Why can thiazide diuretics be used in renal stone disease?
Increased Ca2+ reabsorption reduces urinary excretion of Ca2+ which discourages Ca2+ stone formation in the urinary tract
The most common renal stones are formed by aggregates of calcium oxalate
What are the main side effects of thiazide diuretic use?
Hypokalaemia
Metabolic alkalosis
Hyperuricaemia
Hypomagnesaemia (not hypocalcaemia, which is an advantage in elderly patients with osteoporosis)
Hypovolaemia and hypotension (due to decreased circulating fluid volume)
Erectile dysfunction
Impaired glucose tolerance in diabetics
What are the contraindications and cautions for thiazide diuretic use?
Contraindications:
-Hypokaelamia
Cautions:
- Hyponatraemia
- Gout