CUETO, LHARA VHANEZA
1. Define digitalis
Digitalis is used to treat congestive heart failure (CHF) and heart rhythm problems (atrial
arrhythmias). Digitalis can increase blood flow throughout your body and reduce swelling in your hands
and ankles.
2. Give the causes of heart failure
Some of the more common causes of heart failure include:
Past heart attacks.
Coronary artery disease.
High blood pressure.
Heart valve disease.
Heart muscle disease or inflammation of the heart.
Congenital heart defects.
Lung conditions.
Alcohol / drug abuse.
3. Stages of heart failure- give the characteristics according to stages
Heart failure is a chronic long-term condition that gets worse with time. There are
4 stages of heart failure (Stage A, B, C and D). The stages range from "high risk of
developing heart failure" to "advanced heart failure," and provide treatment plans.
Stage A
Stage A is considered pre-heart failure. It means you are at high risk of developing heart
failure because you have a family history of heart failure or you have one of more of
these medical conditions:
Hypertension
Diabetes
Coronary artery disease
Metabolic syndrome
History of alcohol abuse
History of rheumatic fever
Family history of cardiomyopathy
History of taking drugs that can damage heart muscle, such as some cancer drugs
Stage B
Stage B is considered pre-heart failure. It means you have been diagnosed with systolic
left ventricular dysfunction but have never had symptoms of heart failure. Most people
with Stage B heart failure have an echocardiogram (echo) that shows an ejection
fraction (EF) of 40% or less. This category includes people who have heart failure and
reduced EF (HF- rEF) due to any cause.
Stage C
Patients with Stage C heart failure have been diagnosed with heart failure and have
(currently) or had (previously) signs and symptoms of the condition.
There are many possible symptoms of heart failure. The most common are:
Shortness of breath
Feeling tired (fatigue)
Less able to exercise
Weak legs
Waking up to urinate
Swollen feet, ankles, lower legs and abdomen (edema)
Stage D and reduced E
Patients with Stage D HF-rEF have advanced symptoms that do not get better with
treatment. This is the final stage of heart failure.
4. Three effects on heart muscle of digitalis preparations
Serious side effects:
An irregular heartbeat that causes dizziness, the feeling that your heart has
skipped a beat (palpitations), shortness of breath, sweating, or fainting
Hallucinations, confusion, and mental changes like depression
Unusual tiredness or weakness
Trouble with your eyesight, such as blurry eyesight, double vision, or seeing
yellow, green, or white halos around objects
5. Give the pharmacological data for digoxin, a cardiac glycoside
Digoxin is one of the oldest cardiovascular medications used today. It is a
common agent used to manage atrial fibrillation and the symptoms of heart failure.
Digoxin is classified as a cardiac glycoside and was initially approved by the FDA in 1954.
6. Identify the signs and symptoms of digitalis toxicity
Signs of toxicity include nausea, vomiting, and an irregular heartbeat.
Symptoms
These are symptoms of digitalis toxicity:
Confusion
Irregular pulse
Loss of appetite
Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
Fast heartbeat
Vision changes (unusual), including blind spots, blurred vision, changes in how colors
look, or seeing spots
Other symptoms may include:
Decreased consciousness
Decreased urine output
Difficulty breathing when lying down
Excessive nighttime urination
Overall swelling
7. Antianginal drugs
An antianginal is any drug used in the treatment of angina pectoris, a symptom
of ischaemic heart disease.
8. Types of angina pectoris
Types of Angina
Stable Angina / Angina Pectoris.
Unstable Angina.
Variant (Prinzmetal) Angina.
Microvascular Angina.
9. 3 types of antianginal drugs
Nitrates (eg, isosorbide dinitrate, isosorbide mononitrate, nitroglycerin). These
relax smooth muscle within the blood vessels, widening them and making it
easier for blood and oxygen to reach the heart
Calcium antagonists (eg, diltiazem, nifedipine, nimodipine, verapamil). These
inhibit calcium transfer into cells thereby inhibiting contraction of vascular
smooth muscle
Beta blockers (eg, atenolol, pindolol, propranolol, metoprolol). These slow the
heart, reducing how hard it has to work
10. Types of antidysrhythmic drugs
Antiarrhythmic drugs
amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone)
flecainide (Tambocor)
ibutilide (Corvert), which can only be given through IV.
lidocaine (Xylocaine), which can only be given through IV.
procainamide (Procan, Procanbid)
propafenone (Rythmol)
quinidine (many brand names)
tocainide (Tonocarid)
