Question Pharmacology Q 1 Give an account of the roles of calcium in the cardiovascular system. Using named examples, explain how drugs perturb the cellular functions of calcium (directly or indirectly) in order to exert their physiological effects? 2 Answer both parts of this question

a) Give an account of the pharmacology of catecholamines and their actions in the cardiovascular system?

b) With reference to appropriate guidelines, explain how antagonists which perturb the cellular functions of catecholamines are used in the treatment of cardiovascular disease?

3 Answer both parts of this question a) With reference to appropriate clinical guidelines, describe the rationale for the use of drugs acting on the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system in the management of hypertension.

b) "The primary concern of the physician, when presented with a newly-diagnosed hypertensive patient, should be rapidly to reduce their blood pressure to within normal levels" To what extent could this statement be said to be true?