Course Summary

The use of antihypertensive medications is a well accepted treatment for heart disease and stroke, poor function of the kidney and peripheral vascular systems. The medications help to lower blood pressure and to enhance patient health outcomes by slowing cardiovascular disease outcomes. The classes of drugs used to treat hypertension and cardiovascular disease, and specifically the effectiveness of antihypertensive medication in certain medical conditions and populations, and in the setting of certain lifestyle practices, is discussed.

Course Format

Homestudy

Course Syllabus

• Introduction
• Alpha1-adrenergic Blocking Medication
  1. Category
  2. Uses
  3. Mechanism of Action
  4. Available Forms
  5. Dosing
  6. Contraindications
  7. Warnings
  8. Adverse Reactions
  9. Use During Breastfeeding
  10. Use During Pregnancy
  11. Dietary Concerns
• Clinical Pearls: Alpha1 Blocking Medication
  1. Labeled Uses
  2. Alpha1 Blockers and Treatment of Hypertension
  3. Mechanism of Action
  4. Dosing Adjustments: Geriatric Patient
  5. Dosing Adjustments: Hepatic Impairment
  6. Warnings
  7. Use During Breastfeeding
  8. Overdose of Doxazosin, Prazosin, and Terazosin
• Centrally-Acting Antihypertensives: Guanfacine and Methyldopa
  1. Guanfacine
  2. Pharmacological Pearls: Guanfacine
  3. Methyldopa 4. Clinical Pearls: Methyldopa
• Vasodilator Medications
  1. Hydralazine
  2. Clinical Pearls: Hydralazine
  3. Minoxidil
  4. Clinical Pearls: Minoxidil
• Summary

Author

Dana Bartlett, RN, BSN, MSN, MA, CSPI

Dana Bartlett is a professional nurse and author. His clinical experience includes 16 years of ICU and ER experience and over 27 years as a poison control center information specialist. Dana has published numerous CE and journal articles, written NCLEX material, textbook chapters, and more than 100 online CE articles, and done editing and reviewing for publishers such as Elsevier, Lippincott, and Thieme. He has written widely on the subject of toxicology and was a contributing editor, toxicology section, for Critical Care Nurse journal. He is currently employed at the Connecticut Poison Control Center. He lives in Wappingers Falls, NY.