Nurse

This chapter includes drugs beginning with the letter A ...

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• Diagnosis of a cause for abdominal pain is based on the site and characteristics of the pain together with a knowledge of likely pathology.

• For foregut pathology pain is epigastric.

• For midgut pathology pain is central (peri-umbilical).

• For hindgut pathology pain is in the lower abdomen.

• Once there is inflammation, pain and tenderness become localized to the abdominal wall overlying the organ concerned.

• Minor elevations of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) occur frequently after statins.

• Fibrates and nicotinic acid may also disturb liver function tests (LFTs).

• There is no evidence of long-term liver damage after statin therapy.

• Raised GGT levels are not due to a statin.

• Patients with mild or moderate chronic liver disease may also qualify for statin treatment.

• Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors decrease the production of angiotensin II, reduce sympathetic nervous system activity, and increase bradykinin levels.

• ACE inhibitors are effective antihypertensive agents and slow the progression of target organ damage including various nephropathies and left ventricular hypertrophy and heart failure.

• They are also useful in reducing the mortality post-myocardial infarction and in high-risk coronary or peripheral vascular disease patients.

• The main side effects of ACE inhibitors include cough, angioedema, hyperkalaemia, and worsening of renal functions especially in the presence of renal artery stenosis.