CSC Pharmacology & Treatment Protocols Flashcards
6 cards from real CSC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 CSC Pharmacology & Treatment Protocols flashcards as text
Which medication class is first-line for managing symptomatic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF)?
Answer: ACE inhibitors or ARBs plus beta-blockers
ACE inhibitors (or ARBs) combined with beta-blockers form the cornerstone of guideline-directed medical therapy for HFrEF, reducing mortality and hospitalizations.
Adenosine is used in cardiac stress testing primarily because it:
Answer: Causes coronary vasodilation, revealing perfusion differences
Adenosine produces maximal coronary vasodilation, creating a 'steal' effect that unmasks perfusion heterogeneity in the presence of coronary artery disease.
Anticoagulation with warfarin requires monitoring via:
Answer: INR (International Normalized Ratio)
Warfarin's anticoagulant effect is monitored using the INR, which standardizes prothrombin time measurements across laboratories.
Beta-blockers are contraindicated in acute decompensated heart failure because they:
Answer: Reduce the heart's ability to compensate via increased heart rate
In acute decompensated heart failure, the sympathetic nervous system's compensatory tachycardia is critical; beta-blockers blunt this response and can worsen hemodynamics.
Heparin anticoagulation during cardiac catheterization is monitored with:
Answer: Activated clotting time (ACT)
Activated clotting time (ACT) is used intraprocedurallyto monitor unfractionated heparin during cardiac catheterization and PCI, targeting ACT 250–350 seconds.
Nitroglycerin reduces cardiac workload primarily by:
Answer: Decreasing preload through venodilation
Nitroglycerin predominantly causes venodilation, reducing venous return and preload, which decreases myocardial oxygen demand and wall tension.