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• Iron deficiency anaemia


  Risk factor for tachycardias, can be treated by ferrous fumarate
• Additional risk factors for iron deficiency anaemia


  • Heart failure
  • Atherosclerosis
  • Valvular heart disease
  • Bowel cancer
• Side-effects for all oral iron


  • Common or very common: Constipation; diarrhoea; gastrointestinal discomfort; nausea
  • Uncommon: Vomiting
• Cautions for COX-2 selective inhibitors such as ibuprofen


  • Gastric haemorrhage
  • Thrombocytopenia
  • Hypertension
  • Ischaemic heart disease
  • Coagulation defects
• Mechanism whereby adenosine lowers heart rate

  Hyperpolarisation of phase 4 of the SA node action potential
• Lidocaine


  Class 1 antiarrhythmic drug (Na channel blocker), other clinical use is local pain relief
• Verapamil


  Used as treatment for supraventricular tachycardia
• Why Digoxin is useful in treating atrial fibrillation

  It decreases the actions of acetylcholine
• Mechanism of action of amiodarone

  Blocks potassium channels
• Mechanism of action for Furosemide

  Blocks renal NaKCl transporters
• Loop diuretics are powerful in that they cause the excretion of 20–25% of filtered Na+
• Mechanism of action of GTN

  Increases cGMP
• Main clinical benefit of GTN

  Coronary artery vasodilation
• Mechanism of action of the lipid lowering drug Fenofibrate


  Slows synthesis of lipoprotein lipase
• Fibrates (Gemfibrozil, Fenofibrate, Bezafibrate) are PPAR agonists that increase synthesis of lipoprotein lipase, stimulate fatty acid oxidation in the liver, increase expression of apoA-I and apoA5, and increase hepatic LDL uptake
• Cholestyramine


  Binds to bile in the GI Tract, aids the absorption of fat soluble vitamins
• Statins


  Block HMG CoA Reductase enzyme
• Statins


  • Short acting, specific, reversible inhibitors (e.g. simvastatin, lovastatin)
  • Longer lasting inhibitors (e.g. atorvastatin)
  • Block cholesterol synthesis, upregulate LDL receptor synthesis, increase LDL clearance by liver
• Physiological benefit of statins

  Reduced activation of platelets
• Benefit of prescribing morphine during STEMI

  Reduces cardiac preload
• Why clopidogrel is useful in preventing thrombosis


  Preventing an arterial thrombosis by inhibiting platelet function (blocks ADP mediated platelet activation/aggregation)
• Class of the drug spironolactone

  Potassium sparing diuretic
• Advantage of using LMWH over heparin


  Reduced risk of thrombocytopenia
• Mechanism of action of streptokinase


  Activates tissue plasminogen