Cardiovascular pharmacology

14 important questions on Cardiovascular pharmacology

What is the cardiac output?

The volume of blood pumped by each ventricle each minute.

CO=HRxSV
Hartrate x stroke volume.

at rest: 4,5-5 l/min
during exercise: 20-25 l/min

How is the atrerial pressure regulated?

arterial pressure = peripheral resistance x cardiac output.

It is determinded by:
- the autonomic nervous system (fast)
- the renin-angiotensin system (hours or days)
- the kidneys (days or weeks)

How is hart rate determined?

It starts in the SA node, than the AV node is giving through to the muscles around the ventrikles and the blood will leave the hart.

So the rithm is developed by the SA node.
Calcium is really important for hartcontraction.
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What are different types of arrhythmias?

- Tachyarrhytmias means that the hart is going faster. There are more types of this one.
This is livable. There is risk on strokes or fainth, but many people live with this.
- Bradyarrhytmias means that the hart is going slower or even stops. This could be lethal.

How doe calcium challen blockers work?

- they prevent calcium influx into the vascular smooth muscle cells, this is relaxing effect.
- there will be a delay in conduction in SA- and AV- node.
- it is used fot hypertension, angina, cardiac dysthythmias.

They are not always save. A two high dose can give a too slow hartrate. Also there could be interaction with grapefruit juice for example.

What are Ischemic heart diseases?

This is the result of inadequate blood supply th the heart muscles. It is most commonly due to atherosclerosis.

there are stable types  which could give pain. But there are also dangerous types that could be lethal.

What is myocardial infarction?

There is a blockade in the hart muscle. A part of the hart can die with this kind of blockade.

You can get a shock to get your hart working again (Defibrillators).  pacemaker is used. Thrombolytic therapy is also used this reduced the deathrate by almost 50%.

What is the vicious cycle of hart disease?

The hart muscl is getting weaker and weaker. The muscle is getting thinner and the volume is getting bigger. That will increse sympathetic tone, lower bloodpressure and the hart has to work really hard.

What are drugs acting on the renin-angiotensin system?

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors are very populair not only for hart failure, but also for kidneys and hypertension ACE and ARBs are used.

Angiotensin II will give you vasoconstriction and stimulates release of aldosterone.

What do angiotensin II receptor blockers?

You can give ACE inhibitors, or you can give receptor blockers (ARBs).
This will also block the actions of angiotensin II, but it does not cause angioedema or cough. It is approved for hypertension only and it does not appear to cause hyperkalemia. In it contraindicated in pregnancy.
You will get a diet with less potasium.

How do diuretics work?

They block reabsorption of sodium and chloride, than water will stay in the nephron. Diuretics which work earlier in the nephron have the biggest effect because they can block more of the reabsorption, but also the most electrolite lose.

What are thiazide diuretics?

The effects are similar to loop diuretics only lower. There must be adequate kidney function fotr these drugs to work.

What are potassium-sparing diuretics?

They may be used in combination with loop diurtecs ore thiazides with potassium-sparing effects. They produsce little diuresis.

What is osmotic diuretics?

Mannitol for example, this is active in the very beginning of the nephron. It inhibits passive reabsorption of water. It prevents renal failure, reduction of intracranial pressure and reduction of intraocular pressure. It is only give IV.

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