Week 5 - Cardiovascular Heart Failure Treatment

Question 1

What is the aim of treatment for heart failure?

Answer 1

Improve efficiency of heart by

• improving contraction
• decreasing workload of the heart

Question 2

What are the 3 types of drugs to treat heart failure? Giving examples.

Answer 2

Positive intropes
-digoxin, dopamine, PDE inhibitors
Vasodilators
- ACE inhibitors,nitrates, B-blockers
Diuretics
-thiazides, furosemide

Question 3

How do cardiac glycosides treat CHF?

Answer 3

• Increase force of contraction
• Inhibit Na-K-ATPase pump on myocite membranes
• Build up of Ca
• Ultimately increased release of Ca

Question 4

What are the effects of Inhibiting Na-K-ATPase pump on myocite membranes?

Answer 4

o Increases intracellular Na
o Slowing rate of Na-Ca exchanger
o Causing increase in intracellular Ca

Question 5

What are the types of Cardiac glycosides? Giving examples.

Answer 5

Adrenoceptor agonists
--dobutamine
Phosphodiesterase inhibitors
--milrinone
Diuretics
--frusemide
Vasodilators
--captopril

Question 6

What are the mechanisms and effects of Adrenoceptor agonists?

Answer 6

• act on B1-adrenoceptors which increases intracellular Ca
• increase force of contraction
• increase heart rate

Question 7

What are the mechanisms and effects of Phosphodiesterase inhibitors?

Answer 7

• inhibit PDEases
• increase myocardial and smooth muscle cAMP
• increase cardiac contractility
• reduce afterload and preload

Question 8

What are the mechanisms and effects of Diuretics?

Answer 8

• Act on the kidney to reduce blood volume - -Decrease BP

- Reduces heart workload.

Question 9

What are the mechanisms and effects of Vasodilators?

Answer 9

• Dilate the vasculature to lower BP

- Reducing the load on the heart