A patient has blocked coronary arteries which causes ischemi

A patient has blocked coronary arteries, which causes ischemia and angina. a. Why might a blockage in the coronary arteries cause ischemia and angina? What situations would increase these symptoms for the patient and why? b. One prescription for this patient could include calcium channel blockers. Why would this be useful? Include the pacemaker cells and the myocardial cells in your answer. c. Additionally, they could take a nitroglycerin tablet sublingually for chest pain. Nitroglycerin acts directly on smooth muscle, producing relaxation and vessel dilation. How would this relieve chest pain?

Solution

Blockage in the coronary arteries causes restriction in the blood supply to the tissues of the body which eventually results in the shortage of oxygen and glucose needed for cellular metabolism. Damage to the blood vessels would increase the symptoms becuse of lack of supply of oxygen.

Calcium channel blockers help lowering blood pressure which in turn helps heart muscle to function with less oxygen and blood flow. It increases the blood flow to the heart muscle by expanding the coronary arteries.

nitroglycerin is a vasodilator, it opens blood vessels to improve blood flow and frequent flow of qxygen in the blood vessel.