Cardiovascular Titans

Cardiovascular Meds (Antihypertensives, Diuretics, Cardiac Meds)
Captopril, Losartan, Eplerenone, Aliskiren, Doxazosin, Atenolol, Metoprolol, Reserpine, Clonidine, Carvedilol, HCTZ, Furosemide, Spironolactone, Digoxin, Dobutamine, Dopamine, Milrinone

Welcome to the Cardiovascular System—where pressure is power, volume is leverage, and the heart is a relentless engine that can’t afford a single bad calculation.

In this volume, Lucy and the crew enter the “Vascular City” during a full-system overload: arteries are clamped down, fluid is backing up, and the heart is struggling to keep up. Your mission is to control blood pressure, offload excess volume, and support the failing pump—using the exact medication classes that dominate med-surg, telemetry, ICU, and NCLEX scenarios.

What this book covers (in story form):

RAAS Controllers (Turn down the body’s pressure/volume command system)

• Captopril (Capoten) — ACE inhibitor: blocks the pressure-amplifying cascade; why BP drops, why potassium rises, and the red-flag side effects nurses must know.

• Losartan (Cozaar) — ARB: similar outcome, different blockade point; how it protects the heart/kidneys and what to monitor.

• Eplerenone (Inspra) — aldosterone blocker: targeted fluid/Na⁺ control with potassium risks; where it fits in heart failure and resistant HTN.

• Aliskiren (Tekturna) — direct renin inhibitor: shuts down the system at the start; what that means for BP control and monitoring.

Autonomic/Vascular Tone Meds (Change the vessel “tightness”)

• Doxazosin (Cardura) — alpha-1 blocker: opens vessels; the “first-dose” dizziness/fall risk story you’ll never forget.

• Clonidine (Catapres) — central alpha-2 agonist: quiets sympathetic outflow; why rebound hypertension is a major safety point.

• Reserpine — depletes catecholamines: old-school but high-yield conceptually for understanding sympathetic tone and side effects.

Beta Blockers (Slow the heart, reduce workload, protect the pump)

• Atenolol (Tenormin) — beta-1 leaning: lowers HR/BP; what to watch for with bradycardia and masking hypoglycemia.

• Metoprolol (Lopressor) — common beta-1 blocker: rate control + BP; big in CAD/HF/AFib logic.

• Carvedilol (Coreg) — beta + alpha blockade: reduces HR and afterload; key heart failure medication with careful titration considerations.

Diuretics (Dump the volume, relieve the congestion)

• Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) — thiazide: steady BP/volume control; electrolyte teaching and monitoring in everyday practice.

• Furosemide (Lasix) — loop diuretic: rapid offloading for edema/pulmonary congestion; “what lab do I watch and why?” made visual.

• Spironolactone (Aldactone) — potassium-sparing/aldosterone antagonist: heart failure support + K⁺ watch-outs, with clear symptom cues.
  (Pairs perfectly with the eplerenone concept to lock in aldosterone-block logic.)

Cardiac “Pump Support” Meds (When the heart is failing NOW)

• Digoxin (Lanoxin) — increases contractility + slows AV conduction: heart failure/AFib concepts, toxicity storyline, and the pulse-check rule.

• Dobutamine — inotrope boost: improves cardiac output in acute decompensation; what it does to HR and why monitoring is constant.

• Dopamine (Intropin) — dose-dependent support: from perfusion to vasopressor effect; why titration matters and what you watch at the bedside.

• Milrinone — inotrope + vasodilator: “more squeeze, less resistance” in one move; the hypotension/arrhythmia risk logic made easy.

You’ll learn through:

• A “BP Equation” storyline (Tone + Volume + Pump = Perfusion) so every med has a clear job

• RAAS as a villain system you can map step-by-step (renin → angiotensin → aldosterone)

• Side effects tied to physiology

  • bradycardia vs improved oxygen demand

  • electrolyte shifts (K⁺/Na⁺) and what symptoms they create

  • hypotension and fall risk patterns

  • digoxin toxicity cues you’ll spot fast

• Nursing priorities

  • what vitals/labs to monitor for each class

  • when to hold meds and escalate

  • safe patient teaching for home BP meds and diuretics

  • IV drip vigilance for inotropes/vasoactives

• NCLEX-style checkpoints built into the arc so your recall becomes automatic