How Cardiac meds r/t BP and HR

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Hi all. I'm a new grad cardiac nurse studying about cardiac meds. I know with bblockers and Digoxin, we also need to look at the HR to see if it is safe to give the med.

But what about other cardiac drugs, such as ACEs, ARBs, and Calcium channel blockers? They affect BP, but do they also affect HR?

I was also told that antiarrythmics, such as Amiodarone can also affect BP? I thought it just regulates rhythm? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

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Specializes in PACU, presurgical testing.

Your best bet is a text like Davis's Drug Guide for Nurses. More useful than the PDR, and it includes nursing guidelines and things to look for.

Make yourself a spreadsheet (easier to compare meds) or index cards (easier to study one at a time). You'll get used to them quickly because these will be the meds you give every single day.

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Specializes in Cardiology.

I think a spreadsheet is a great way to study all of the cardiac meds. Rather than memorizing each drug, learn HOW the class of drugs works in the body.... it will be easier to remember side effects if you can remember the "how"

For example, the ACEs/ARBs work through the RAA pathway (kidneys). If you remember the RAA pathway, you'll remember that there's no chronotripic (rate) effect of these drugs.

Good luck!

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Specializes in Quality, Cardiac Stepdown, MICU.

Another way is to go by disease: there are different meds you would give for hypertensive crisis vs afib RVR. When I hear "afib in the 160s" as my diagnosis in ER report, I am already preparing a cardizem drip in my head. If my pt is hypertensive but has a HR of 50 and I am calling the MD in the middle of the night, I am anticipating an order for hydralazine; if he says lopressor I gently say, "excuse me, the HR is 50." Knowing the meds ahead of time isn't practicing medicine, but it's being prepared (some of the docs are hard to understand on the phone, and if I know that clonidine comes in 0.1 mg and not 10 mg I'll know if I understood him right) and also helps as a second check if a med isn't appropriate for the pt's condition.

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