Chapter 24, Problem 4O

Summary Introduction

To discuss:

The mechanism of action, indication, cautions, contraindication, adverse effects, pharmacokinetics, toxicity, dosage, and route of administration of lisinopril, valsartan, carvedilol, metoprolol, dobutamine, nesiritide, hydralazine/isosorbide dinitrate, milrinone, and digoxin.

Concept introduction:

Heart failure may not be of any kind of disease but can be of any clinical syndrome that is caused by different types of cardiac dysfunction. Heart failure is a pathological stage where heart muscles cannot met out the energy demand for the blood supply. Many different kinds of stimuli such as hypertension, obesity, smoking, myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease, atrial fibrillation, and hypervolemia can trigger heart failure. Inotropic drugs, positive and negative chronotropic drugs, and dromotropic drugs are four classes of drugs used to treat heart failure.