Assignment: Pharmacotherapy for Cardiovascular Disorders

…heart disease remains the No. 1 killer in America; nearly half of all Americans have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or smoke—some of the leading risk factors for heart disease…

—Murphy et al., 2018

Despite the high mortality rates associated with cardiovascular disorders, improved treatment options do exist that can help address those risk factors that afflict the majority of the population today.

Photo Credit: Getty Images/Science Photo Library RF

As an advanced practice nurse, it is your responsibility to recommend appropriate treatment options for patients with cardiovascular disorders. To ensure the safety and effectiveness of drug therapy, advanced practice nurses must consider aspects that might influence pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes such as medical history, other drugs currently prescribed, and individual patient factors.

Reference: Murphy, S. L., Xu, J., Kochanek, K. D., & Arias, E. (2018). Mortality in the United States, 2017. Retrieved from Required Readings (click to expand/reduce) Rosenthal, L. D., & Burchum, J. R. (2021). Lehne’s pharmacotherapeutics for advanced practice nurses and physician assistants (2nd ed.) St. Louis, MO: Elsevier.

• Chapter 33, “Review of Hemodynamics” (pp. 285–289)
• Chapter 37, “Diuretics” (pp. 290–296)
• Chapter 38, “Drugs Acting on the Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System” (pp. 297–307)
• Chapter 39, “Calcium Channel Blockers” (pp. 308–312)
• Chapter 40, “Vasodilators” (pp. 313–317)
• Chapter 41, “Drugs for Hypertension” (pp. 316–324)
• Chapter 42, “Drugs for Heart Failure” (pp. 325–336)
• Chapter 43, “Antidysrhythmic Drugs” (pp. 337–348)
• Chapter 44, “Prophylaxis of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease: Drugs That Help Normalize Cholesterol and Triglyceride Levels” (pp. 349–363)
• Chapter 45, “Drugs for Angina Pectoris” (pp. 364–371)
• Chapter 46, “Anticoagulant and Antiplatelet Drugs” (pp. 372–388)

week, you will examine the impact of patient factors that may lead to changes in pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes on patient drug therapy for cardiovascular disorders. You will also explore ways to improve drug therapy plans for cardiovascular disorders based on patient factors and overall health needs.

Students will:

• Analyze the influence of patient factors on pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes
• Analyze the impact of changes in pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes on patient drug therapies
• Evaluate drug therapy plans for cardiovascular disorders

Patient CB has a history of strokes. The patient has been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. Drugs currently prescribed include the following:

• Glipizide 10 mg po daily
• HCTZ 25 mg daily
• Atenolol 25 mg po daily
• Hydralazine 25 mg qid
• Simvastatin 80 mg daily
• Verapamil 180 mg CD daily