Drugs for reducing CVD risks

1. ACE inhibitors

2. Beta blockers

3. Calcium channel blockers

4. Diuretics

- Benefits: lower blood pressure, reduces kidney failure risk (ACE inhib.), gets rid of excess plasma fluid and thus reduces blood pressure (diuretics) 

- side effects: dizziness, dry cough, abnormal heart rhythm, reduced kidney function, swollen ankles

- CCB can make symptom for people with CVD, worse or fatal 

Antiplatelets:

1. Aspirin

2. Clopidogrel

- These worke by reducing 'stickiness' of the platelets and thus preventing them from creating a platelet plug which could develop into a clot 

- They both increase risk of gastrointestinal bleeding, Clopidogrel more so than Aspirin. However, the benefits outweigh the risks. 

Anticoagulants:

1. Warfarin 

- These work by reducing vitamin K function in the liver. Vitamin K is responsible for 'cofactor' production. Cofactors are proteins which work together to help the blood clot

- They are more effective than aspirin but also increase risk of gastrointestinal bleeding more. 

1. Statins

- These work by reducing Low-Density Lipoproteins levels of blood by inhibiting an enzyme involed in their production.

- They have rare but severe side effects, including: minute risk of gastrointestinal or respiratory cancers, muscle pain, liver damage, memory loss, or increased risk of diabetes