Blood and Cardiovascular Drug Class MOAs

Cardiac Glycosides

used to improve heart output by increasing the muscular contraction; Uses: CHF, arrhythmia

Antianginals

Decreases the amount of work for the heart through reducing heart rate or resistance to pump; Uses: angina

Nitroglycerin (Nitrostat)

will evaporate when exposed to air; stored in glass, amber-colored vial

Antiarrhythmic drugs

used to restore and maintain normal heart rhythms; multiple classes; Uses: arrhythmias

Central-acting Agonists

Decrease sympathetic NS and increase parasympathetic NS activity; Uses: HTN

Vasodilators

Dilates peripheral blood vessels by relaxing smooth muscle; Uses: HTN

Calcium Channel Blockers

Prevents calcium from entering cells of heart and blood vessels to relax the muscles; Uses: arrhythmias, CAD, angina, HTN

ACE inhibitors

Disrupts RAAS by preventing conversion of angiotensin I to angiotensin II; Uses: Cardiomyopathy, CHF, HTN **S.E. dry cough

Angiotensin II Receptor Blocker (A2RB)

Disrupts RAAS by inhibiting action of angiotensin II to reduce blood pressure and vasoconstriction; Uses: CHF, HTN

Beta Blockers

decrease heart rate and dilate arteries by blocking beta receptors; Uses: HTN, angina ** S.E.: bronchoconstriction

Alpha-Beta Blockers

Relaxes smooth muscle in blood vessels and relax heart muscle by blocking norepinephrine & epinephrine; Uses: severe heart failure, BPH, HTN

Alpha Blockers

Inhibits postsynaptic alpha receptors (in blood vessels) from accepting norepinephrine, which reduces vasoconstriction; Uses: HTN, CHF, BPH

Selective Alpha-2 agonists

increases presynaptic alpha receptors ability to reuptake norepinephrine to dilate blood vessels; Uses: glaucoma, ocular HTN

HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitors

"statins", reduce LDL cholesterol and plaques in blood vessels; Uses: High cholesterol, CAD, cardiomyopathy

Renin Inhibitors

Disrupts RAAS by preventing renin from converting angiotensinogen to angiotensin I; Uses: HTN

5-alpha reductase inhibitors

Prevents conversion of testosterone to DHT to prevent growth of prostate; Uses: BPH

Endothelin receptor antagonists

reverse effect of enzyme endothelin to prevent vasoconstriction; Uses: pulmonary HTN

PDE-5 Inhibitors

Blocks the enzyme PDE-5, which causes vasodilation; Uses: erectile dysfunction, HTN, pulmonary HTN **S.E. do NOT take with nitrates (severe hypotension)

Antithrombotics (antiplatelets)

Decreases platelet aggregation (stickiness) to reduce blood clots; Uses: blood clot prevention

Anticoagulants

Interferes with blood clotting factor proteins; Uses: Blood clot prevention, DVT, pulmonary embolism **S.E. do NOT take with NSAIDs due to risk of fatal bleeding

Thrombolytics

dissolve blood clots by destroying their fibrin strands; Uses: to BREAK UP existing clots (pulmonary emboli, MI, CVA); S.E. excessive bleeding

Hemostatics

Promotes blood clotting (stop bleeding) by either activating platelets or creating a physical barrier; Uses: surgical bleeding, hemophilia, vitamin K deficiency

Hemorheologic Agent

Reduces blood viscosity by making RBCs more "flexible"; Uses: intermittent claudication

Antianemics

supplements the body with vitamins or minerals it needs; Uses: anemia

Growth Factor

stimulate the body to produce more WBCs; Uses: post-chemotherapy and immunocompromised