Medication Question

Think about it this way: there are three things that affect blood pressure - (1) fluid (blood) volume (2) force of contractility of the heart and (3) vessels - how dilated or constricted and the amounto of buildup in the form of plaques inside them. We attack blood pressure and heart problems by giving meds that affect one or more of these factors.

When educating patients, I use the analogy of a faucet. How high the water is turned on (force of the heart), how much water (fluid volume) and what it's running through (little tiny pipes versus bigger ones, or hard pipes versus soft supple hoses.

Thats most of my LTC pts! Just add some K and a colace too!