Cardiology Rotation
Goal
To integrate basic pharmacy-related concepts and cardiology patient care
through patient care activities, discussions, and selected exercises.
Objectives
At the completion of this rotation, the student should be able to:
1. Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding about the clinical use,
pharmacokinetics, route of administration, adverse effects, and drug interactions of the
following:
• Antidysrhythmic drugs: quinidine, procainamide, disopyramide, lidocaine, tocainide,
mexiletine, flecainide, bretylium, amiodarone, beta blockers, verapamil,
diltiazem, ethmozine, propafenone, and digoxin
• Inotropic agents: digoxin, amrinone, and milrinone
• Antihypertensives: diuretics, beta blockers, prazosin, methyldopa, guanadrel,
hydralazine, clonidine, guanabenz, captopril, minoxidil, guanethidine, sodium
nitroprusside, diazoxide, and calcium channel antagonists
• Antianginal agents: nitrates, beta blockers, and calcium channel antagonists
• Anticoagulants and antiplatelet drugs: heparin, warfarin, aspirin, dipyridamole,
sulfinpyrazone, and thrombolytic agents
• Sympathomimetics: epinephrine, norepinephrine, isoproterenol, dopamine,
dobutamine, and phenylephrine
• Parasympatholytics: atropine
• Vasodilating agents: nitrates, hydralazine, prazosin, captopril, minoxidil, nifedipine,
sodium nitroprusside, nitrates, enalapril
2. Discuss the pathophysiology, associated laboratory and physical findings, and
recommend the therapeutic maneuvers for the following disease entities:
• Acute myocardial infarction
• Angina pectoris including effort angina, Prinzmetal's angina, and unstable angina
• Supraventricular dysrhythmias: atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, multifocal atrial
tachycardia, PSVT
• Ventricular dysrhythmias: ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, Torsades de
Pointes
• Pre-excitation syndromes: Wolf-Parkinson-White
• Atrioventricular blocks
• Heart failure
• Hypertension