Drug Therapy for Coronary Heart Disease – Vocabulary Review

25 vocabulary flashcards summarizing core terms, drugs, pathophysiology, and nursing considerations related to coronary heart disease and its pharmacologic management.

Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)

Progressive narrowing or occlusion of coronary arteries, usually caused by atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis

Formation of fatty plaques inside arterial walls that can reduce or block blood flow.

Angina Pectoris

Chest pain caused by temporary myocardial ischemia; includes stable, unstable, and variant types.

Stable Angina

Predictable chest pain triggered by exertion or stress that is relieved with rest or nitrates.

Unstable Angina

Unpredictable, worsening chest pain often occurring at rest; may signal an impending myocardial infarction.

Variant (Prinzmetal’s) Angina

Chest pain due to coronary artery spasm, often occurring at rest and unrelated to exertion.

Myocardial Infarction (MI)

Death of heart muscle cells from prolonged ischemia when oxygen demand exceeds supply.

NSTEMI

Non–ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction characterized by ST depression or T-wave inversion on ECG.

STEMI

ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction indicating complete coronary occlusion on ECG.

Cardiac Catheterization

Invasive procedure that visualizes coronary arteries and may include stent placement for reperfusion.

Nitroglycerin (Nitro-Bid)

Prototype nitrate that relaxes vascular smooth muscle to produce rapid vasodilation and relieve acute chest pain.

Sublingual Nitroglycerin

Route that provides 100% absorption with 1–3-minute onset for rapid angina relief.

Nitro-Bid Ointment

Topical nitroglycerin formulation applied in measured doses for sustained vasodilation.

Nitrate Tolerance

Reduced anti-anginal effect from continuous nitrate use; prevented by including a daily nitrate-free interval.

Isosorbide Dinitrate (Isordil)

Sublingual or oral nitrate that decreases frequency of angina attacks with quick onset.

Isosorbide Mononitrate (Imdur)

Oral nitrate with 100% bioavailability used for angina prophylaxis.

Reflex Tachycardia

Compensatory increase in heart rate that can occur after vasodilation from nitrates.

Calcium Channel Blockers

Antihypertensives that inhibit calcium influx, promote vasodilation, and decrease myocardial contractility.

Beta-Adrenergic Blockers

Cardioselective drugs that lower heart rate and oxygen demand without causing bronchoconstriction.

Ranolazine (Ranexa)

First-line CHD medication that reduces intracellular sodium and calcium; exact mechanism unknown.

Long QT Interval

Prolonged ventricular repolarization on ECG that may lead to torsades de pointes; associated with ranolazine.

MONA Therapy

Acute MI protocol: Morphine, Oxygen, Nitrates, Aspirin to relieve pain and improve perfusion.

Vasodilation

Widening of blood vessels that decreases preload and afterload, improving blood flow to the myocardium.

Smoking Cessation

Key lifestyle modification that lowers CAD risk and improves outcomes in cardiac patients.

Angina Triggers

Activities or factors (exertion, stress, heavy meals) that increase myocardial oxygen demand and provoke chest pain.