Pharmacotherapy for Cardiovascular Disorders Assignment Essay Example

Impact of Behavior on Medication Effects

High blood pressure (Hypertension or HTN) affects around 29% of adults in the US. Having high blood pressure increases the risk of heart disease, heart failure, and stroke. HTN is often called the “silent killer” due to its lack of early signs. Behavioral factors like obesity, alcohol use, and salt intake contribute to HTN. Changing behavior can reduce the risk of HTN, especially in individuals with obesity. High cholesterol levels are linked to hyperlipidemia (HLD). HLD is influenced by factors like obesity, fatty foods, diseases like Diabetes, and medications like beta-blockers. Behaviors like fast-food consumption and lack of exercise contribute to HTN and HLD. Making dietary changes, exercising, and managing stress can help prevent HTN and HLD. The way the body processes medications can be affected by one’s diet and nutrition. The presence or absence of meals can impact drug intake and solubility. For example, taking atenolol with fluids like apple, orange, or grape can affect its absorption.

Effects of Process Change on Drug Therapy

The primary goal of managing HTN is to reduce cardiovascular deaths and renal complications. Hydrochlorothiazide is the initial treatment for stage I HTN. Atenolol, a beta-blocker, is given to patient AO. In stage II HTN, hydralazine, a vasodilator, can be used, particularly for essential HTN. Doxazosin relaxes muscles and reduces cholesterol, benefitting HTN patients. Sertraline, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), doesn’t raise blood pressure like tricyclic antidepressants. Simvastatin is the first-line treatment for high cholesterol as it reduces LDL and boosts HDL. Alcohol users and those with liver disease should avoid simvastatin due to potential liver enzyme increase.

Enhancing Drug Therapy Plan

To improve drug therapy, start simvastatin at 20-40mg for patients with no cardiovascular risk factors. Measure LDL after six weeks, aiming to lower it to less than 100mg/dL in six to twelve months. Taking simvastatin at night is suggested due to peak cholesterol production. Fluid retention caused a patient’s 9-pound weight gain. Indapamide 2.5mg daily, instead of atenolol, is better for HTN treatment. For the patient taking hydralazine twice daily, switch to three doses daily. Monitor for drug interactions with the new medications.

References

[References]

Assignment: Pharmacotherapy for Cardiovascular Disorders

Cardiovascular diseases remain a significant cause of mortality, often linked to common risk factors like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and smoking. As an advanced practice nurse, your role involves recommending effective treatments for these disorders, considering individual patient factors and potential medication impacts.

Photo Credit: Getty Images/Science Photo Library RF

To excel in this role, you must understand how various factors, such as genetics, gender, ethnicity, age, and behaviors, influence pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes. Additionally, you should be adept at tailoring drug therapy plans based on these factors to ensure optimal patient outcomes.

Reference: Murphy, S. L., Xu, J., Kochanek, K. D., & Arias, E. (2018). Mortality in the United States, 2017. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db328.htm

In this assignment, you will delve into a case study, exploring how a specific factor impacts pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics in a patient. You will then assess how these changes affect the patient’s recommended drug therapy and propose improvements to optimize their treatment plan.

By analyzing these factors and tailoring drug therapy plans accordingly, you play a crucial role in enhancing patient care and mitigating the risks associated with cardiovascular disorders.

To Prepare

Familiarize yourself with the resources provided for this module, including the media piece discussing potential pharmacotherapeutics for cardiovascular disorders.
Review the case study assigned by your instructor for this assignment.
Select one of the following factors: genetics, gender, ethnicity, age, or behavior.
Reflect on how your chosen factor might impact the patient’s body’s processes of absorbing and responding to medications.
Consider how any alterations in these processes might influence the patient’s recommended drug therapy.
Contemplate potential modifications to the patient’s drug therapy plan that could optimize their treatment based on these changes.

By the end of Week 2

Compose a well-structured paper of 2-3 pages addressing the following points:

Explain how the selected factor could influence the patient’s pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes, using the context of the assigned case study.
Describe how any shifts in these processes could impact the patient’s recommended drug therapy. Provide specific examples to support your analysis.
Propose adjustments to the patient’s drug therapy plan that take into account these changes. Justify your recommendations based on pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic alterations.

Remember to follow the College of Nursing’s requirements for paper formatting, including a title page, introduction, summary, and references. You can refer to the College of Nursing Writing Template with Instructions available at the Walden Writing Center for a comprehensive guide on meeting these requirements (accessible at https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/templates/general#s-lg-box-20293632). Ensure your paper adheres to this formatting to ensure a thorough and well-organized submission.

Submission and Grading Information

To submit your completed Assignment for review and grading, follow these steps:

Save your paper using the specified naming convention: “WK2Assgn+LastName+FirstInitial.(extension)”.
Review the grading criteria detailed in the Week 2 Assignment Rubric.
Access the Week 2 Assignment link, where you can also “View Rubric” for a comprehensive understanding of the grading criteria.
In the Attach File section, click “Browse My Computer” to locate and open your saved document (“WK2Assgn+LastName+FirstInitial.(extension)”).
If applicable, select the checkbox to agree to submit your paper(s) to the Global Reference Database as part of the Plagiarism Tools.
Click the “Submit” button to finalize your submission. Note that SafeAssign cannot process files exceeding 10MB, so ensure your file size remains within this limit.

Pharmacotherapy for Cardiovascular Disorders Assignment Essay Example

Behavior impact on pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics

Hypertension (HTN) affects around 29 percent of the adult population in the United States. Having high blood pressure raises one’s risk of cardiovascular disease, including heart failure, myocardial infarction, and stroke. Due to the lack of early signs, high blood pressure (HBP) is frequently referred to as “the silent killer” (Kovell et al., 2015). HTN may be categorized as either essential or non-essential. In addition to age and ethnicity, behavioral variables such as obesity, alcohol use, and dietary salt intake are essential Pharmacotherapy for Cardiovascular Disorders Assignment Essay Example. We may reduce HTN risk by changing one’s behavior toward a patient with a background of obesity and just gained 9 pounds. Cholesterol levels are elevated in people with hyperlipidemia (HLD). Coronary heart disease is indeed a factor in the development of HLD. HLD is caused by environmental variables such as obesity, foods rich in lipids, illness conditions such as Diabetes mellitus, and drugs like beta-blockers (Arcangelo et al., 2017). It has a significant effect on HLD and HTN when people engage in this practice. The everyday use of fast food and lack of exercise exposes them to a diet heavy in sodium and cholesterol. HTN and HLD are prevented due to changes in nutrition, exercise, and stress reduction (Oikonomou et al., 2018). The metabolism and reaction of medications in the body influence a person’s diet and nutrition. It is important to note that the intake of medicine is affected by the presence or absence of meals, which may lower or raise the solubility of the prescription. The uptake of atenolol by the body might be affected by fluids such as apple, orange, and grape.

Impact of change in the process on the patient’s recommended drug therapy.

Decreasing cardiovascular deaths and renal difficulties is the primary focus of HTN diagnosis and treatment efforts. Hydrochlorothiazide is the first-line treatment for stage I hypertension, which may be supplemented with ACE inhibitors, beta-blockers, calcium channel blocks, or angiotensin II receptor blockers, if necessary. Atenolol, a beta-blocker, is being administered to patient AO. Hydralazine may be used as a vasodilator to treat stage II hypertension, particularly in individuals with essential hypertension. HTN sufferers may benefit from Doxazosin, which lowers cholesterol levels and relaxes smooth muscles to lower blood pressure.

In contrast to tricyclic antidepressants, Sertraline is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) that does not raise blood pressure (Arcangelo et al., 2017). Simvastatin is the first-line treatment for high cholesterol since it reduces LDL and triglyceride levels while boosting HDL, the good cholesterol. Those who use alcohol or have liver illness should avoid taking simvastatin because of the risk of increased transaminase levels. As a result, statins are often utilized as the first-line treatment for cardiovascular disease (Struijker-Boudier, 2017).

Improving Drug Therapy Plan

Simvastatin should be started at a low dosage of 20–40mg in patients with no known cardiovascular risk factors, followed by a six-week LDL measurement, and then a six–to–12-month period of treatment in which the aim is to drop LDL to less than 100mg/dL. For this reason, it is recommended to take simvastatin at night, when most cholesterol production occurs (Struijker- Boudier, 2017). Fluid retention is to blame for the patient’s 9-pound weight increase. Indapamide 2.5mg daily, rather than atenolol, is the first-line treatment for stage I and II hypertension since hydrochlorothiazide may induce elevated levels of HLD. My recommendation is to switch to three-times-a-day administration of hydralazine for the patient, who is now taking it twice daily. I will watch the patient for any possible drug interactions since the patient will also be taking new drugs (Arcangelo et al., 2017).

References

Arcangelo, V. P., Peterson, A. M., Wilbur, V., & Reinhold, J. A. (Eds.). (2017). Pharmacotherapeutics for advanced practice: A practical approach (4th ed.). Ambler, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Oikonomou, E., Psaltopoulou, T., Georgiopoulos, G., Siasos, G., Kokko, E., Antonopoulos, A., & … Tousoulis, D. (2018). Western dietary pattern is associated with severe coronary artery disease. Angiology, 69(4), 339-346. doi:10.1177/0003319717721603

Struijker-Boudier, H. (2017). Should a statin be given to all hypertensive patients? Artery Research, 18, 66-68. doi: 10.1016/j.artres.2017.04.001

Kovell, L. C., Ahmed, H. M., Misra, S., Whelton, S. P., Prokopowicz, G. P., Blumenthal, R. S., & Mcevoy, J. W. (2015). US Hypertension management guidelines: A review of the recent past and recommendations for the future. Journal of the American Heart Association, 4(12). doi:10.1161/jaha.115.002315

 

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 https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db328.htm

To Prepare

• Review the Resources for this module and consider the impact of potential pharmacotherapeutics for cardiovascular disorders introduced in the media piece.
• Review the case study assigned by your Instructor for this Assignment.
• Select one the following factors: genetics, gender, ethnicity, age, or behavior factors.
• Reflect on how the factor you selected might influence the patient’s pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes.
• Consider how changes in the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes might impact the patient’s recommended drug therapy.
• Think about how you might improve the patient’s drug therapy plan based on the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic changes. Reflect on whether you would modify the current drug treatment or provide an alternative treatment option for the patient.

By Day 7 of Week 2

Write a 2- to 3-page paper that addresses the following:

• Explain how the factor you selected might influence the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes in the patient from the case study you were assigned.
• Describe how changes in the processes might impact the patient’s recommended drug therapy. Be specific and provide examples.
• Explain how you might improve the patient’s drug therapy plan and explain why you would make these recommended improvements.

Reminder: The College of Nursing requires that all papers submitted include a title page, introduction, summary, and references. The College of Nursing Writing Template with Instructions provided at the Walden Writing Center offers an example of those required elements (available at https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/templates/general#s-lg-box-20293632). All papers submitted must use this formatting.

Submission and Grading Information

To submit your completed Assignment for review and grading, do the following:

• Please save your Assignment using the naming convention “WK2Assgn+last name+first initial.(extension)” as the name.
• Click the Week 2 Assignment Rubric to review the Grading Criteria for the Assignment.
• Click the Week 2 Assignment link. You will also be able to “View Rubric” for grading criteria from this area.
• Next, from the Attach File area, click on the Browse My Computer button. Find the document you saved as “WK2Assgn+last name+first initial.(extension)” and click Open.
• If applicable: From the Plagiarism Tools area, click the checkbox for I agree to submit my paper(s) to the Global Reference Database. Pharmacotherapy for Cardiovascular Disorders Assignment Essay Example
• Click on the Submit button to complete your submission.