PHARM - Drugs for the Treatment of Ischaemic Heart Disease - Week 5 Flashcards
What are ischaemic heart diseases typically a result of?
Plaque buildup in the coronary arteries, narrowing them and preventing adequate blood flow to the heart, resulting in ischaemia.
What is the principal artery supplying blood to the heart?
Coronary arteries.
In what two ways can blood flow to the heart be increased, and why do they increase flow?
Dilating coronary arteries - self explanatory
Decreasing heart rate - arteries are less compressed
What does the O2 demand of the heart depend on?
The cardiac workload
Give the formula for cardiac output.
Stroke volume x heart rate
Define preload.
Degree of stretch pre-contraction
Define afterload.
Resistance the heart pumps against
Define angina.
Chest pain
Does ischaemic heart disease cause angina?
Yes
Name three possible causes of angina.
Imbalance between O2 supply and needs
Insufficient O2 to meet cardiac demand
Reduced perfusion rather than inadequate blood O2
Define stable angina, the pain it causes, two means by which it can be induced, and what it is associated with.
Chest pain that occurs with exertion or stress. It is associated with coronary artery disease.
Define variant angina, when it occurs, and its mediator.
Coronary vasospasm at rest, mediator unknown.
Define unstable angina, when it occurs (2), and what secondary complication it has the potential to cause.
Angina at rest and with effort.
Potential for thrombi formation.
Do arterioles typically get plaque buildup?
No
Consider stable angina treatment. What three things should treatment accomplish and what 2 effects should drugs have?
Treat to: -prevent attacks -relieve symptoms -prevent progression to heart attack Use drugs to: -increase O2 supply -reduce O2 demand
In what two ways can O2 supply be increased?
Dilating coronary arteries
Reducing heart rate
Is it relatively easy or difficult to dilate atheromatous arteries?
Difficult
Can coronary arteries always be dilated?
Not neccessarily, they may already be maximally dilated.
Explain why reducing heart rate increases O2 supply t othe heart.
Heart spends longer in relaxation phase
Coronary arteries have longer to fill
In what three ways can O2 demand be decreased?
Decrease cardiac output
Reduce preload
Reduce afterload