Maria is a 67-year-old retired, obese woman, who lives with her husband Max. She enjoys sitting down to a movie every night with a bottle of Shiraz and a large packet of salt and vinegar chips or tub of cookies and cream ice cream. She has always loved a glass or two of wine with dinner, but now figures she can have a few more since she no longer has to get up for work. Maria doesn't like to exercise, her only form of exercise is walking around Coles on Friday whilst doing her weekly shopping. Her sister has asked her to join her walking group on numerous occasions, but Maria would rather stay home and bake. Maria's mother moved in with her many years ago, when her father passed away from a heart attack at the age of 60. Her mother isn't in the best of health, she has type II diabetes and hypertension, which she controls with medication. One day Maria decides to visit her neighbour, taking with her a batch of freshly baked cookies. Whilst walking to her neighbour's house, she notices that she is short of breath and is feeling a slight pain in her chest, but when she sits down, she feels fine, so she dismisses it once again, putting it down to her poor fitness. However, on her way home she begins to feel light-headed and weak, and feels like she is going to be sick. She notices that she has been feeling like this quite a lot lately, even when resting in the evening, so she decides to make an appointment with her GP for later in the week. At the medical clinic the GP looks at Maria's medical history. She was diagnosed with hypertension four years ago and has tried many different medications to treat the hypertension. She was currently taking beta blockers. The GP worries about Marias latest symptoms so writes a referral for her to see a cardiovascular specialist for an ECG and a coronary angiogram to determine why Maria has been short of breath and unwell. One day, whilst waiting for her results, Maria starts to feel more nauseous and dizzier than usual. She starts to feel clammy and sweaty, and her face seems gray in colour. The chest pain returns, but now feels like a crushing pain, and she can't breathe. Her husband, Max, dials 000, and she is rushed to hospital. An ECG shows that Maria has ST elevation, and a blood test indicates that she has high levels of myocardium-specific troponin in her blood. Maria is given heparin intravenously as well as an anti-platelet and fibrinolytic drug. She is taken into surgery, where a coronary angioplasty is performed.

Question 1 (5 marks) Before her current problems, Maria has prescribed a beta blocker for her hypertension. Explain the benefits of beta blocker administration in the treatment of hypertension with specific emphasis on how this treatment reduces blood pressure

Question 2 (3 marks) A couple of weeks before her current episode, Maria noticed that 'she was short of breath and was feeling a slight pain in her chest, but when she sat down for a few minutes, she felt much better and the pain disappeared.' Name the condition Maria was most likely experiencing and explain its pathogenesis.

Question 3 (3 marks) Considering her clinical symptoms and laboratory findings, name the disease Maria is suffering from when admitted to the hospital and explain the benefits of heparin administration in her present state.

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The detailed answer for the above question is provided below Question 1 answer Betablockers are considered the first line drug therapy treatment for h... View the full answer