Advanced Pharmacology Assignment: Patient Case Study and Treatment

This advanced pharmacology assignment analyzes a patient case study, focusing on the medications prescribed, including Glipizide, Hydrochlorothiazide, Atenolol, Hydralazine, Simvastatin, and Verapamil. The assignment examines the mechanism of action, metabolism, and potential side effects of each drug. It highlights potential drug interactions and adverse effects, particularly considering the patient's age, ethnicity, and existing health conditions like cardiovascular disorders and dyslipidemia. The analysis suggests alternative medications like Metoprolol and Prazosin to mitigate potential risks associated with the original prescriptions. The document emphasizes the importance of considering psychosocial behaviors, like alcohol intake, and their impact on medication efficacy and patient safety. The assignment concludes with a call for improved sleep and relaxation strategies for the patient.

ADVANCED PHARMACOLOGY
Advanced pharmacology
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Advanced pharmacology
The patient is near elderly and is of African American origin. Glipizide is suggested
for the preventing high blood sugar level in the patient as this medication helps pancreas to
produce insulin (Murphy et al., 2018). The initial mechanism of this medication is to increase
insulin secretion from the beta cells of pancreas and reduce the rate of hepatic glucose
production with increasing the level sensitivity of insulin receptor. This medication should
absorb 100% of glucotrol after 30 minutes of intake. This medicine acts in the body within
12-24 hours and extensively metabolises in the liver. In liver, this medication converts into
inactive metabolites (Hydroxycyclohexyl derivatives). This medicine is eliminated by
urination from the body. Hydrochlorothiazide is used to control high blood pressure and other
related condition of the body (Wilkins et al., 2017). HCTZ helps in elimination of
accumulated fluid and swelling in heart which is responsible for heart failure. The
medication can help to prevent the conditions such as cirrhosis of the liver, kidney failure and
nephrotic syndrome. This patient has cardiovascular disorder so the medication is appropriate
for the patient. Atenolol 25 mg po daily has been prescribed to the patient for preventing
hypertension, angina and myocardial infraction. It is used to treat heart attacks, chest pain
that is angina and the pharmacodynamics action of the drug leads to lowering of the heart
rate, strain of the heart and blood pressure as well. It is to be noted that the atenolol is
metabolised in the liver and eliminated by the kidneys and by nature – it is a beta receptor
blocker type of drug. Hydralazine 25 mg on a dosage of QID has been given to the patient
and it is to be noted that the same is used for treatment of high uncontrolled blood pressure
and also used in the management of the severe cardiovascular conditions such as heart attack.
Also used in the treatment of kidney diseases as well. The drug binds to plasma proteins and
the half-life of the drug or rather the medication in the plasma protein is about three to seven
hours. Simvastatin is given or rather administered to the patient to manage the condition of
dyslipidaemia in the patient. It reduces the low density cholesterols in the blood. It works by

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Advanced pharmacology
metabolizing the same into beta, delta-dihydroxy acid that then acts on the body to show its
effect. Verapamil is another very critical as it is a calcium channel blocker used to treat and
manage the condition of hypertension in addition to angina as well. Given the patient is of
African American origin, it is very much possible that he has psychosocial behaviour of
alcohol intake which could result in weak neuropsychological control in the patient and
Atenolol in addition to Hydralazine has the side effects of dizziness and nausea resulting in
vomiting and these medications can be dangerous for the patient. Moreover, as the patient’s
liver is affected causing dyslipidaemia and addictions can cause further damage to the liver,
as atenolol is metabolised in the liver, it might stress it more. Metoprolol can be given instead
of atenolol and prazosin can be given instead of hydrazine. Along with this, sleep and
relaxation must be improved in the patient.

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Advanced pharmacology
References
Murphy, S. L., Xu, J., Kochanek, K. D., & Arias, E. (2018). Mortality in the United States,
2017. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db328.html
Wilkins, E., Wilson, L., Wickramasinghe, K., Bhatnagar, P., Leal, J., Luengo-Fernandez,
R., ... & Townsend, N. (2017). European cardiovascular disease statistics 2017.