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Heart Health
Compromising heart health
Heart health is compromised by cardiovascular disease, which affects the heart or blood vessels and can be caused by an infection, inflammation or a genetic predisposition. However, the main causes and risk factors are:
- high cholesterol, causing blockage and hardening of arteries,
- high blood pressure or hypertension, which increases workload on the heart and damages blood vessels
- smoking, which damages blood vessels.
- poor diet and lack of exercise
some inherited conditions that affect the heart valves or heart muscle
Atherosclerosis
Atherosclerosis is a condition in which the build-up of fatty deposits, mainly cholesterol, in the blood vessel walls causes hardening of the arteries. Eventually over time this forms a plaque that pushes into the artery lumen and narrows the artery, which reduces blood flow and puts a strain on the heart as it pumps blood through narrowed blood vessels. Atherosclerosis can progress undetected until it becomes dangerous, causing a complete blockage of the artery, which can result in heart attack, angina or stroke, depending on which artery is affected.
Hypertension
Blood pressure is the force needed to pump blood around the body. Blood pressure measurements are divided into systolic pressure, which is when the heart contracts forcing blood out into the arteries, and diastolic when the heart rests and fills with blood. Blood pressure measurement is expressed as systolic pressure over diastolic pressure. Hypertension is high blood pressure at rest and causes reduced blood flow, increases the force needed to pump blood around the body, increases workload on the heart and increases oxygen demand. This can cause damage to blood vessels as well as cause end organ tissue damage to the kidneys, eyes and nerves. Hypertension also increases risk of cardiovascular disease, including stroke and heart attack.
What is cardiovascular disease?
Cardiovascular disease and atherosclerosis increase the risk of:
- coronary artery disease or narrowing of blood vessels that supply the heart
- peripheral vascular disease or narrowing of arteries other than those that supply the heart or brain and can include small capillaries
- stroke when blood flow to the brain is blocked; the brain does not get enough oxygen and cells begin to die
heart attack (myocardial infarction or MI) when blood flow to the heart is blocked; heart muscle does not get enough oxygen and cells begin to die.
Conditions caused by cardiovascular disease
Cardiovascular disease can cause the following conditions:
- Angina is a symptom of coronary artery disease when the heart does not get enough oxygen and compensates by pumping harder and faster. Symptoms include discomfort or pain in the chest and breathlessness on exertion. Angina is not the same as heart attack as it is not caused by a blockage only a narrowing of the arteries and there is no permanent damage to the heart muscle.
- Congestive heart failure is when the heart does not pump efficiently and cannot maintain adequate circulation of blood. This is because the heart muscle has become weakened and the heart works harder to compensate. It is caused by damage to the heart muscle due to a previous heart attack or prolonged high blood pressure or due to a condition called cardiomyopathy or large heart. Oedema is a symptom of heart failure as fluid collects in the tissues and in the lungs due to poor circulation causing swelling usually in the arms, legs, ankles; also shortness of breath, breathlessness on exertion, cough and weakness and fatigue.
- Atrial fibrillation or irregular heart rhythm, usually a rapid heart beat, has several possible causes. A major cause is prolonged high blood pressure, which results in disturbed blood flow and increases risk of heart failure and stroke. Symptoms include heart palpitations and shortness of breath.
- Thrombosis is when a thrombus or blood clot forms at the site of injury on the blood vessel wall and blocks the flow of blood. A thrombosis can be initiated by direct injury to the blood vessel wall, such as due to high blood pressure or by secondary effects of cardiovascular disease such as atrial fibrillation, due to blood pooling in the heart. The result of a thrombosis depends on where the blockage occurs; if the coronary arteries become blocked this can cause a heart attack; if the arteries to the brain become blocked, this can cause a stroke.
- Thromboembolism or embolism is a thrombus that becomes dislodged from the blood vessel wall and travels in the blood to another site in the body where it may get stuck and block blood flow. The site where the thrombus ends up determines the outcome. If the embolism stops in the lungs it is a pulmonary embolism, if it stops in the coronary artery it can cause a heart attack, or in vessels supplying the brain it can cause a stroke.
Classes of cardiovascular medications
Several medications are available for treating hypertension and cardiovascular conditions. They have different mechanisms of action often to achieve the same result, so that a particular type of medication can be used for several conditions with similar causes. Some medications however, are used only for a specific condition and some can be used together for increased effectiveness.
The various classes of cardiovascular medications include:
- ACE inhibitors are used to treat hypertension and congestive heart failure and work by inhibiting the action of Angiotensin Converting Enzyme that causes salt and water retention by the kidneys and also causes blood vessel narrowing, which increases blood pressure. The action of ACE inhibitors reduces blood volume, widens blood vessels and lowers blood pressure.
- Calcium channel blockers are used to treat hypertension and angina and work by blocking inflow of calcium ions into smooth muscle cells of blood vessel walls, preventing them from contracting and allowing blood vessels to widen.
- Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARB) are used to treat hypertension and congestive heart failure and work by blocking the hormone angiotensin II binding to its receptor, which prevents salt and water retention by the kidneys, blood vessel narrowing and increase in blood pressure. The action of ARBs reduces blood volume, widens blood vessels and lowers blood pressure.
- Diuretics are used to treat hypertension and congestive heart failure and work by acting on the kidneys and promoting the excretion of salts and water to reduce blood volume and thereby reducing blood pressure and oedema (fluid retention in the tissues).
- Anti-clotting drugs are used to prevent thrombosis associated with cardiovascular disease and work by inhibiting the binding of adenosine diphosphate (ADP) to its receptor on platelets and this inhibits platelet aggregation and reduces risk of a clots forming.
- Anticoagulants are used to treat and prevent thrombosis and thromboembolism associated with cardiovascular disease and work by inhibiting the production of Vitamin K dependent blood coagulation factors, which inhibits the coagulation cascade and prevents blood clotting.
- Vasodilators are used to treat poor circulation, hypertension and angina, and act directly on blood vessel walls, causing them to relax and widen, which allows blood to flow more freely.
- Beta blockers are used to treat hypertension, angina and arrhythmias and work by blocking the action of catecholamines such as adrenaline that act on beta receptors in the heart to increase heart rate and narrow blood vessels. The action of beta blockers is to slow heart rate, widen blood vessels, lower blood pressure, and increase blood flow and oxygen to the heart.
- Cholesterol lowering drugs are used to treat high cholesterol or hypercholesterolaemia and work by lowering levels of cholesterol and other fats in the blood
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Nadolol 80mg
Apo-Nadolol general information
What is Apo-Nadolol used for?
Apo-Nadolol tablets 80mg are used to treat a variety of conditions of the cardiovascular system. These include, control of mild to moderate hypertension (high blood pressure), alone as monotherapy or in combination with other antihypertensive agents, especially thiazide diuretics, to lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of complications such as stroke and heart attack. Apo-Nadolol tablets 80mg are also used for long-term management of angina (chest pain) in patients with heart disease; and control of most forms of arrhythmias (rapid or irregular heart beat). There is also some evidence that using Apo-Nadolol tablets 80mg long-term may help in the prevention of myocardial infarction (heart attack) and treatment of heart failure to improve survival and quality of life. Apo-Nadolol tablets 80mg are also used for preventing migraine, and to treat symptoms of hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) as well as preparing patients for thyroid surgery. Apo-Nadolol tablets 80mg work through a common mechanism in several different body systems to manage the condition and relieve symptoms by reducing heart rate (pulse), workload on the heart (force needed to pump) and oxygen demand by the heart, which increases blood flow and lowers blood pressure.
How does Apo-Nadolol work?
Apo-Nadolol tablets 80mg contain nadolol, a non-selective beta-blocker (also known as beta adrenergic antagonist), that binds to beta receptors found in vascular smooth muscle of blood vessel walls and several organs of the body, including the heart and lungs. Nadolol in Apo-Nadolol tablets 80mg blocks the action of chemicals called catecholamines, such as adrenaline (epinephrine) and noradrenaline (nor epinephrine), which are released by the adrenal glands in response to nerve stimulation during physical and mental stress. Adrenaline works binds to beta-receptors in the heart to stimulate increased heart rate and constriction (narrowing) of blood vessels. These actions of adrenaline are reduced or inhibited by nadolol in Apo-Nadolol tablets 80mg, to slow heart rate, dilate (widen) blood vessels, lower blood pressure, and increase blood flow and oxygen to the heart. When the heart beats more slowly and with less force, this reduces the pain associated with angina and frequency of angina attacks, also helps the heart beat to become more regular and reduces the force needed to pump blood around the body, which helps lower blood pressure. Since beta-receptors are found in many tissues, all short-term and long-term symptom relief due to taking Apo-Nadolol tablets 80mg, is based on blocking beta-receptors in the target tissue, for example, reducing symptoms associated with hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid), including rapid heart rate, sweating and tremor. Although the mechanism by which Apo-Nadolol tablets 80mg help prevent migraine is not fully known, it is thought to involve prevention of vasoconstriction (blood vessel narrowing) of the internal carotid artery, by blocking beta receptors in the brain and prevention of excessive adrenergic vasodilation in the external carotid artery, which happens during a migraine attack. Apo-Nadolol tablets 80mg are formulated for controlled release so that nadolol is that released in a sustained and time controlled manner, to ensure a more even effect over 24 hours, which provides better symptom relief with fewer side effects.
What does Apo-Nadolol contain?
Apo-Nadolol tablets 80mg contain the active ingredient nadolol, a beta-blocker that is used to treat variety of conditions of the cardiovascular system and other conditions.
Treating high blood pressure (hypertension) with Apo-Nadolol
Apo-Nadolol tablets 80mg contain nadolol, a non-selective beta-blocker (also known as beta adrenergic antagonist), that binds to beta receptors that are found in vascular smooth muscle in blood vessel walls and several organs of the body, including the heart lungs and kidney. Nadolol in Apo-Nadolol tablets 80mg blocks the action of chemicals called catecholamines, such as adrenaline (epinephrine) and noradrenaline (nor epinephrine), which are released by the adrenal glands in response to nerve stimulation during physical and mental stress. Adrenaline binds to beta-receptors in the heart to stimulate increased heart rate and constriction (narrowing) of blood vessels. These actions of adrenaline are reduced or inhibited by nadolol in Apo-Nadolol tablets 80mg, to slow heart rate and dilate (widen) blood vessels, which prevents resistance to blood flow in peripheral blood vessels and increases blood flow and oxygen to the heart, which result in lower blood pressure. Lowering blood pressure using Nadolol tablets 80mg reduces the risk of complications such as stroke and heart attack, due to high blood pressure.
Treating heart disease with Apo-Nadolol
Apo-Nadolol tablets 80mg contain nadolol, a non-selective beta-blocker (also known as beta adrenergic antagonist), that that binds to beta receptors that are found in vascular smooth muscle in blood vessel walls and several organs of the body, including the heart lungs and kidney. Nadolol in Apo-Nadolol tablets 80mg and blocks the action of chemicals called catecholamines, such as adrenaline (epinephrine), which are released by the adrenal glands in response to nerve stimulation during physical and mental stress, with effects that slow heart rate, dilate (widen) blood vessels, lower blood pressure, and increase blood flow and oxygen to the heart. Apo-Nadolol tablets 80mg are used to treat a variety of conditions of the cardiovascular system to improve survival, reduce symptoms and improve the quality of life in patients with heart disease, including, control of hypertension (high blood pressure), management of angina (chest pain); long-term prevention of myocardial infarction (heart attack) and treatment of heart failure.
What are the side effects of Apo-Nadolol?
The most commonly reported side effects when taking Apo-Nadolol tablets 80mg include: bradycardia (slow heart beat), heart failure (shortness of breath on exertion), dizziness, gastrointestinal disturbances (diarrhoea, constipation, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain), fatigue, sleepiness, bronchospasm, cold hands and feet (narrowing of the airways), headache.
When should Apo-Nadolol not be used?
You should not use Apo-Nadolol tablets 80mg if you:
- are allergic to nadolol or any ingredients in Apo-Nadolol
- are pregnant or are breastfeeding, without discussion with your doctor
- have a history of obstructive lung disorder, bronchial asthma or bronchospasm
- are diabetic and taking hypoglycaemic therapy, without discussion with your doctor as metoprolol may prolong the hypoglycaemic response to insulin
- have poor peripheral blood circulation, uncontrolled heart failure, low blood pressure (hypotension)
- have a phaeochromocytoma (a rare tumour of the adrenal gland) which is not already being treated with other medicines
- have certain other heart problems
- are taking medication that may interact with Apo-Nadolol, including: other medicines for high blood pressure; angina or an irregular heart beat such as calcium channel blockers (diltiazem, verapamil, and nifedipine), antiarrhythmics (disopyramide) digoxin, clonidine, hydralazine; other beta-blockers, including eye drops; the antibiotic rifampicin; adrenaline for emergencies like anaphylaxis; monoamine oxidase inhibitors; antiinflammatories like ibuprofen or indomethacin; cimetidine for reflux and ulcers; chlorpromazine for psychiatric disorders.
How should Apo-Nadolol be taken?
You should take your Apo-Nadolol tablets 80mg with a glass of water, once daily, with or without food. The dose of Apo-Nadolol tablets 80mg that you are taking depends on what you are being treated for and may be gradually increased by your doctor, depending on your condition and your response. You must take your tablets every day, as instructed and if you are advised to stop taking them, withdrawal should be gradual and treatment should not be discontinued abruptly.
How long should you take Apo-Nadolol?
You should take your Apo-Nadolol tablets 80mg for as long as your doctor recommendations, which may be for a few days, weeks, months or longer depending on the condition you are being treated for.
Missed dose of Apo-Nadolol
If you miss a dose of Apo-Nadolol tablets 80mg take it as soon as you remember, unless it is time to take the next dose, then skip the missed dose. Do not take a double dose.
How should Apo-Nadolol be stored?
You should store your Apo-Nadolol below 30°C in a cool dry place, protected from light and moisture..
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Capoten 50mg
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Capoten 25mg
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MAC Remedies
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