Flashcards Cardiology 1-5 and 6-10 focused

A patient presents with chest pain and is later diagnosed with impaired blood flow to the heart muscle due to atherosclerosis. Using your understanding of cardiovascular conditions, explain the likely diagnosis and discuss the potential consequences if left untreated.

• Coronary Artery Disease; consequences include chest pain and heart attacks

• Hypertension; consequences include only high blood pressure

• Arrhythmias; consequences include only irregular heartbeats

• Heart Failure; consequences include only fluid buildup

Given a patient with abnormal heart rhythms who experiences fainting and palpitations, reason through which cardiovascular condition they are most likely experiencing and justify your answer based on the symptoms.

• Arrhythmias; because abnormal heart rhythms can cause palpitations and fainting

• Hypertension; because it only causes high blood pressure

• Heart Failure; because it only causes fluid buildup

• Coronary Artery Disease; because it only causes chest pain

A patient with elevated blood pressure is at increased risk for several complications. Using evidence from your knowledge of cardiovascular conditions, identify at least two major risks associated with hypertension and explain why these risks occur.

• Heart attack and stroke; because high blood pressure damages blood vessels

• Arrhythmias and fainting; because of irregular heartbeats

• Shortness of breath and fatigue; because of poor heart pumping

• Chest pain and atherosclerosis; because of blocked arteries

Analyze why understanding the cardiovascular system is considered vital in pharmacology, especially in the management of conditions like heart failure and arrhythmias. Support your answer with reasoning.

• Because it helps manage conditions that affect blood flow and heart function

• Because it only helps with diagnosing infections

• Because it is unrelated to medication management

• Because it focuses only on the nervous system

A patient with hypertension is not responding well to beta-blockers and diuretics. As a clinician, which alternative drug classes could you consider for antihypertensive therapy, and what is the rationale for your choice based on their mechanisms of action?

• ACE inhibitors and calcium channel blockers, because they target different pathways in blood pressure regulation.

• Nitrates and sodium channel blockers, because they are primarily used for arrhythmias and angina.

• Potassium channel blockers and ARBs, because they are only used for heart failure.

• Only diuretics, because they are the most effective for all cardiovascular conditions.

A patient with heart failure is being treated with diuretics and beta-blockers but continues to have symptoms. What additional drug classes could be added to optimize therapy, and why might these be effective?

• ACE inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs), because they reduce cardiac workload and improve outcomes.

• Nitrates and calcium channel blockers, because they are only used for angina.

• Sodium channel blockers and potassium channel blockers, because they are antiarrhythmics.

• Only diuretics, because increasing the dose always resolves heart failure symptoms.

A patient with angina is already on nitrates but continues to experience chest pain. What additional drug classes could be considered, and how do they contribute to angina management?

• Beta-blockers and calcium channel blockers, because they decrease myocardial oxygen demand and improve blood flow.

• Diuretics and ACE inhibitors, because they are primarily for hypertension and heart failure.

• Sodium channel blockers and potassium channel blockers, because they are antiarrhythmics.

• Only nitrates, because increasing the dose is always the best solution.

A patient with high blood pressure is prescribed an antihypertensive medication. Using your understanding of the mechanisms of action, explain how this medication could help lower the patient’s blood pressure and identify which physiological parameters it may affect.

• It increases systemic vascular resistance and blood volume to raise blood pressure.

• It reduces systemic vascular resistance, decreases blood volume, or decreases cardiac output to lower blood pressure.

• It increases cardiac output and preload to improve heart function.

• It modifies electrical impulses to restore normal heart rhythm.

A patient with heart failure is experiencing poor cardiac output and fluid overload. Based on the mechanisms of action for heart failure medications, describe a treatment strategy and justify how it would address the patient’s symptoms.

• Use medications that increase preload and afterload to stress the heart further.

• Use medications that improve cardiac output, reduce preload and afterload, and modulate neurohormonal systems.

• Use medications that only modify electrical impulses within the heart.

• Use medications that increase blood flow to the heart muscle without affecting preload or afterload.

A patient presents with an irregular heartbeat. Which class of cardiovascular medication would be most appropriate, and what is the primary mechanism by which it restores normal heart function? Provide reasoning for your answer.

• Antihypertensives; by reducing blood pressure.

• Heart failure medications; by improving cardiac output.

• Antiarrhythmics; by modifying the electrical impulses within the heart.

• Antianginals; by increasing blood flow to the heart muscle.