15 self-study questions - Cardiovascular Therapeutics 1. Outline the major drug classes used in cardiovascular medicine and the principal mechanism by which each lowers cardiovascular risk. 2. Describe the pharmacology of beta-blockers. Which properties distinguish cardioselective, vasodilating, and non-selective agents, and how does that affect clinical choice? 3. Compare ACE inhibitors, ARBs, and ARNI: mechanism, main indications, key adverse effects, and when each is preferred. 4. Explain the principles of antiplatelet therapy. How do aspirin and P2Y12 inhibitors differ, and what governs the duration of dual antiplatelet therapy? 5. Compare vitamin K antagonists and direct oral anticoagulants across mechanism, monitoring, reversal, and the situations where a DOAC is not appropriate. 6. Describe the classes of diuretics used in cardiology, their sites of action, and their respective roles in heart failure and hypertension. 7. Discuss the general principles of antihypertensive therapy: when to start, initial drug choice, combination logic, and how targets are set. 8. Outline the pharmacological management of chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. Explain why the therapy is built as a combination rather than a sequence of single drugs. 9. Describe the role of statins and non-statin lipid-lowering agents. What determines treatment intensity and target? 10. Summarise the Vaughan Williams classification of antiarrhythmics with an example and a main clinical use for each class. 11. Explain the principles of reperfusion therapy in acute myocardial infarction and the factors that decide between fibrinolysis and primary PCI. 12. Discuss the pharmacology and clinical role of nitrates, and explain the phenomena of tolerance and reflex tachycardia. 13. Describe the rationale, evidence, and current place of SGLT2 inhibitors in cardiovascular therapeutics. 14. Discuss how renal impairment, hepatic impairment, pregnancy, and old age modify cardiovascular drug selection and dosing. 15. Explain the concept of guideline-directed medical therapy and how evidence from randomised trials is translated into class of recommendation and level of evidence.