Ch07 bb

Understanding Pharmacology
For Health Professionals Fourth Edition
CCHHAAPPTTEERR
Copyright ©2010 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458
All rights reserved.
For the Dental Hygienist
Understanding Pharmacology for Health Professionals, Fourth Edition
Susan M. Turley
7
Urinary Drugs

Multimedia Directory
Slide 5Urinary System Animation
Slide 54Kidney Stones Video
Slide 81Sildenafil Animation
Slide 83 Erectile Dysfunction Video
Susan M. Turley

Learning Objectives
• Compare and contrast the sites of action
and therapeutic effects of various diuretic
drugs
• Explain why potassium supplements are
given to patients taking diuretic drugs
• Describe the therapeutic effects of drugs
used to treat urinary tract infections,
urinary pain, urinary tract spasm, and
overactive bladder
Susan M. Turley

Learning Objectives
• Compare and contrast the site of action
and therapeutic effects of drugs to treat
benign prostatic hypertrophy and erectile
dysfunction
• Given the generic and trade names of a
urinary drug, identify what drug category
they belong to or what disease it is used to
treat
• Given a urinary drug category, identify
several generic and trade name drugs in
that category
Susan M. Turley

Click on the display above to view an animation on the urinary system.
Click again to pause the video.
Return to Directory
Susan M. Turley

• Urinary drugs include:
– diuretic drugs
– potassium supplements (taken concurrently
with some diuretic drugs)
– drugs used to treat urinary tract infections
– urinary tract analgesic drugs
– urinary tract antispasmodic drugs
Introduction
Susan M. Turley

• Urinary drugs include:
– drugs for overactive bladder
– drugs for benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH)
– drugs for erectile dysfunction
– drugs for prostatitis
Introduction
Susan M. Turley

Diuretic Drugs
• Kidneys continuously filter the circulating
blood
Susan M. Turley

Diuretic Drugs
• Depending on the needs of the body
– extract and excrete waste products of
metabolism
– extract and either excrete or reabsorb
nonwaste products
 water
 sodium
 potassium
 other electrolytes (positive or negative charge)
 glucose
Susan M. Turley

Diuretic Drugs
• Blood levels of sodium or potassium
– are normal
 anything in excess excreted in the urine
 Electrolytes hold water to them with osmotic
pressure
 contributes to the amount of urine that is produced
– are low
 electrolytes are reabsorbed from the fluid in the
tubules
 back into the blood in a nearby capillary
Susan M. Turley

Diuretic Drugs
• Diuretic drugs keep sodium and
potassium from being reabsorbed from the
tubules back into the blood
– extra sodium and potassium causes an
increase in the volume of urine
Susan M. Turley

Diuretic Drugs
• Diuretic drugs keep sodium and
potassium from being reabsorbed from the
tubules back into the blood
– by causing sodium, potassium, and water to
be excreted, diuretic drugs are useful in the
treatment of
 hypertension
 edema associated with congestive heart failure
 renal failure
 cerebral edema
Susan M. Turley

Diuretic Drugs
• Divided into several categories based on
the site of the drug’s action in the nephron
– thiazide diuretic drugs
– loop diuretic drugs
– potassium-sparing diuretic drugs
– osmotic diuretic drugs
– carbonic anhydrase inhibitor diuretic drugs
Susan M. Turley

Thiazide Diuretic Drugs
• Act at the loop of Henle and the distal
convoluted tubules in the nephron
• Block sodium and potassium from being
reabsorbed from the tubule back into the
blood
• More sodium and potassium than usual
are excreted in the urine and therefore
more water as well
Susan M. Turley

• bendroflumethiazide (Naturetin)
• chlorthalidone (Hygroton)
• chlorothiazide (Diuril)
• hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ, HydroDIURIL,
Microzide)
Susan M. Turley

• indapamide (Enduron)
• methyclothiazide (Enduron)
• metolazone (Zaroxolyn)
• Note: The ending –thiazide is common to
generic thiazide diuretic drugs
Susan M. Turley

Loop Diuretic Drugs
• Act at the proximal convoluted tubule, the
loop of Henle, and the distal convoluted
tubule
• Derive their name from their action at the
loop of Henle
Susan M. Turley

Loop Diuretic Drugs
• Block sodium and potassium from being
reabsorbed from the tubule back into the
blood
• More sodium and potassium than usual are
excreted in the urine and therefore more
water as well
Susan M. Turley

Loop Diuretic Drugs
• bumetanide (Bumex)
• ethacrynic acid (Edecrin)
• furosemide (Lasix)
• torsemide (Demadex)
Susan M. Turley

Figure 7-1 Diuretic drugs and the nephron of the
kidney. Nephrons in the kidney are the site of urine
production. Blood that contains waste products,
electrolytes, other substances, and water enters the
first part of the nephron, a spherical collecting
structure known as Bowman’s capsule. Inside it is a
network of intertwining capillaries known as the
glomerulus. In the glomerulus, the pressure of the
blood pushes water and other substances from the
blood out into Bowman’s capsule, a process known
as filtration. The resulting solution is known as filtrate.
The filtrate then flows into the proximal convoluted
tubule. There some of the water and nonwaste
substances move out of the tubule and back into the
blood, a process known as reabsorption.
Reabsorption also occurs in the U-shaped loop of
Henle and the distal convoluted tubule before the
final product, urine, is excreted by the kidney.
Diuretic drugs act at different areas of the nephron,
as shown. Laypersons often refer to diuretic drugs as
“water pills.”
Susan M. Turley

The thiazide group of diuretic drugs causes
adverse drug interactions with many different kinds
of drugs. Thiazide diuretic drugs keep
anticoagulant drugs from working effectively to
prevent blood clots. They decrease the effect of
some types of insulin used to treat diabetes
mellitus.
Drug Alert!
Susan M. Turley

However, when taken in combination with other
types of drugs, they have an opposite effect and
actually prolong the effect of the other drug,
causing severe side effects or toxicity. This is true
for chemotherapy drugs for cancer and for lithium
which is used to treat the manic phase of bipolar
disorder.
Drug Alert!
Susan M. Turley

Figure 7-2 Furosemide. This prescription bottle contains the generic drug furosemide, a loop
diuretic drug. Each tablet contains a dose of 20 mg. If the trade name drug had been used to fill this
prescription, the label would have read “Lasix 20 mg.”
Susan M. Turley

Potassium-Sparing Diuretic
• Act at the proximal convoluted tubules and
the loop of Henle
• Cause sodium and water to be excreted in
the urine
• But they spare (or conserve) potassium
and allow it to be reabsorbed from the
tubule back into blood
Drugs
Susan M. Turley

Potassium-Sparing Diuretic
Drugs
• amiloride (Midamor)
• spironolactone (Aldactone)
• triamterene (Dyrenium)
Susan M. Turley

Osmotic Diuretic Drugs
• Presence of the drug itself (which always
stays in inactive form) that causes a
diuretic effect
– so many molecules of the inactive drug are
present in the filtrate within Bowman’s
capsule
 causes an increase in the concentration
(osmolarity) of the filtrate
 as the filtrate moves through the tubules
• higher osmolarity continues to hold water and
electrolytes to it
• prevents water from being reabsorbed from the tubules
back into the blood
Susan M. Turley

Osmotic Diuretic Drugs
• Principle of osmosis
– water will not flow from a region of greater
concentration – in the tubules – to a region of
lower concentration – in the blood
• mannitol (Osmitrol)
Susan M. Turley

Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitor
• Carbonic anhydrase is an enzyme in the
wall of the proximal convoluted tubules
– constantly reacts with carbon dioxide and
Diuretic Drugs
water to produce
 bicarbonate
 hydrogen
Susan M. Turley

• Carbonic anhydrase constantly reacts with
carbon dioxide and water to produce
– bicarbonate
Diuretic Drugs
 the negative bicarbonate ion
• moves out of the renal tubule wall cell
• into the blood in a nearby capillary
Susan M. Turley

• Carbonic anhydrase constantly reacts with
carbon dioxide and water to produce
– hydrogen
 the positive hydrogen ion moves out of the tubule
wall cell into the filtrate
 does a quick exchange with another positive ion –
sodium
 then moves back inside the tubular wall cell
Diuretic Drugs
Susan M. Turley

Carbonic Anyhydrase Inihibtor
• If given, inhibit the enzyme in the tubule
wall cells
– bicarbonate and hydrogen are not formed
– no positive hydrogen ions exchange places
with the positive sodium ions
 the sodium ions stay in the filtrate
 hold water with them
 produces greater volume of urine (diuresis)
Diuretic Drugs
Susan M. Turley

Carbonic Anyhydrase Inihibtor
• Used to treat the edema associated with
congestive heart failure
• acetazolamide (Diamox)
Diuretic Drugs
Susan M. Turley

Combination Diuretic Drugs
• Combine
– thiazide diuretic drugs
 Hydrochlorothiazide
– potassium-sparing diuretic drug
 amiloride
 spironolactone
 triamterene
Susan M. Turley

Combination Diuretic Drugs
– hydrochlorothiazide
– triamterene
• Moduretic
– Hydrochlorothiazide
– amiloride
• Aldactazide
– spironolactone
• Dyazide
– triamterene
• Maxzide
Susan M. Turley

Clinical Applications
Both thiazide diuretic drugs and loop diuretic drugs
cause sodium, potassium, and water to be
excreted in the urine, but this extra loss of
potassium can cause adverse effects in some
patients, including cardiac arrhythmias. Patients
who take a thiazide diuretic or loop diuretic drug
also take a potassium-sparing diuretic drug to
offset the loss of potassium from the other diuretic
drug, or they can take an oral potassium
supplement.
Susan M. Turley

Potassium Supplements
• Frequently prescribed for patients taking
thiazide and loop diuretic drugs
• To avoid excessive loss of potassium
• Manufactured as
– liquids (patients often object to of the taste)
– powders
– effervescent tablets (to be dissolved in water)
– capsules
– tablets
Susan M. Turley

Figure 7-3 Potassium supplement. The K in the trade name K-Tab signifies that this is a
potassium supplement because K is the chemical symbol for potassium. This drug is measured in
milliequivalents (10 mEq.), but the equivalent metric measurement in milligrams (750 mg) is also
given on the label. This drug is in the form of an extended-release tablet. Copyright Abbott Labs.
Reprinted with permission.
Susan M. Turley

Potassium Supplements
• Measured in milliequivalents (mEq.)
• The presence of K in each trade name
refers to the K+ symbol for the chemical
element potassium
• Kay Ciel
• K-Dur
• K-Lor
• Klor-Con
• Klorvess
• Klotrix
• K-Lyte
• K-Tab
• Micro-K
Susan M. Turley

Although foods, such as bananas, are rich in
potassium, dietary sources alone are usually not
sufficient to replenish the loss of potassium caused
by taking a thiazide diuretic drug or a loop diuretic
drug. If not given supplemental potassium, patients
on these drugs can develop the adverse effect of
hypokalemia, an extremely low level of potassium in
the blood. This can lead to life-threatening cardiac
arrhythmias because the electrolyte potassium is
crucial to the normal contraction of the heart muscle.
Drug Alert!
Susan M. Turley

Drugs Used to Treat Urinary
Tract Infections
• UTIs are treated with drugs that are
particularly effective against gram-negative
• There are several categories of drugs that
act systemically to treat UTIs
bacteria
– Eschericia coli from the GI tract
– frequent cause of UTIs
Susan M. Turley

Tract Infections
• Categories of drugs that act systemically
to treat UTIs
– penicillin type antibiotic drugs
– cephalosporin antibiotic drugs
– quinolone antibiotic drugs
– fluoroquinolone antibiotic drugs
– sulfonamide anti-infective drugs
– folic acid antagonist drugs
Susan M. Turley

Tract Infections
Quinolone Antibiotic
Drugs
• cinoxacin
• nalidixic acid
(NegGram)
– trade name selected
by the drug company
because the drug is
effective against gram-negative
Penicillin-type
Antibiotic Drugs
• ampicillin
• structurally related
cephalosporin
antibiotic drugs
Susan M. Turley
bacteria

Tract Infections
• ciprofloxacin (Cipro)
• levofloxacin
(Levaquin)
• lomefloxacin
(Maxaquin)
• norfloxacin (Noroxin)
• ofloxacin (Floxin)
Fluoroquinolone
Antibiotic Drugs
• similar in chemical
structure to quinolones
• some drugs in this
class are indicated for
treatment of
– UTIs
 prostatitis
 nongonoccocal urethritis
Susan M. Turley

Tract Infections
Sulfonamide Anti-infective Drugs for UTIs
• also called sulfa drugs
• anti-infective are not true
antibiotic drugs
• only inhibit growth of
bacteria but do not kill
them
• inhibits one step in the
formation of folic acid by
certain bacteria
• bacteria that do not make
folic acid are not
susceptible
• sulfadiazine
• sulfisoxazole (Gantrisin
Pediatric)
Susan M. Turley

Tract Infections
• trimethoprim (Primsol,
Proloprim)
Folic Acid Antagonist Drugs
• block the formation of
folic acid in bacterial
cells
• interferes with the
ability of some
bacteria to grow and
reproduce
Susan M. Turley

Other Antibiotic-Type Drugs For
Other Antibiotic-Type Drugs for UTIs
• Have a special affinity for the tissues of the
urinary tract
 inhibits an enzyme present in urea-splitting bacteria
 metabolizes into an acid that is excreted unchanged (and in a
still-active form) in the urine
 kills bacteria as it is excreted from the body
UTIs
– Acetohydroxamic acid
– Fosfomycin
Susan M. Turley

Other Antibiotic-Type Drugs For
Other Antibiotic-Type Drugs for UTIs
• Have a special affinity for the tissues of the
urinary tract
 changed to ammonia and formaldehyde
 chemicals are lethal to bacteria and kills them
 changed by the bacteria into a substance that alters bacterial
RNA and therefore kills bacteria
UTIs
– Methenamine
– Nitrofurantoin
Susan M. Turley

Drugs To Treat Urinary Tract
Infections (UTIs)
• Indicated for UTIs,
prostatitis, and other
infections
• Bactrim
– Sulfamethoxazole
– trimethoprim
– Sulfamethoxazole
– trimethoprim
Combination Antibiotic Drugs
• combine:
– antibiotic drug trimethoprim
– anti-infective sulfa drug
sulfamethoxazole
• trimethoprim blocks one
step in the synthesis of
folic acid by bacteria
• sulfamethoxazole blocks
the next step in the same
process
• drugs work synergistically
• Septra
Susan M. Turley

Did You Know?
Cranberry juice is effective in preventing
urinary tract infections. Cranberries are
acidic, which is why eating the berries
makes your mouth pucker! Cranberries
temporarily increase the acidity of the urine;
this suppresses the growth of bacteria
because the bacteria prefer an alkaline
environment.
Susan M. Turley

Did You Know?
Also, cranberry juice contains the simple
sugar fructose, which acts as an
antiadhesion factor that keeps bacteria from
adhering to the bladder wall. A cranberry
dietary supplement for urinary tract health is
available in softchew tablets or capsules.
Susan M. Turley

Urinary Analgesic Drugs
Symptoms
• burning
• urgency
• painful urination
Causes
• urinary tract infections
• interstitial cystitis
• other urinary tract
diseases
• urinary tract surgery
• endoscopic
procedures
Susan M. Turley

Urinary Analgesic Drugs
• Exert a local, pain-relieving effect on the
mucous membranes of the urinary tract
even though drugs are given orally
• dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO, Rimso-50)
• pentosan (Elmiron)
• phenazopyridine (Pyridium, Urogesic)
Susan M. Turley

Urinary Antispasmodic Drugs
Can result in
• ureteral spasms
• renal colic
• spasm of the bladder
sphincter
• urinary retention
• urinary incontinence
Causes of irritation
• infection
• catheterization
• kidney stones
• urinary retention
Susan M. Turley

Click on the display above to view a video on the topic of kidney stones.
Return to Directory
Susan M. Turley

• Relax the smooth muscle
– in the wall of the ureter
– bladder
• Promote normal bladder function
Susan M. Turley

• atropine (Sal-Tropine)
• bethanechol (Urecholine)
• flavoxate (Urispas)
• L-hyoscyamine (Anaspaz, Cystospaz)
• neostigmine (Prostigmin)
• oxybutynin (Ditropan)
Susan M. Turley

Combination Antibiotic, Analgesic,
and Antispasmodic Drugs
Contain various combinations of the
following drugs:
• Urinary antibiotic drug
• Sedative drug
– butabarbitol
• Urinary antispasmodic
drug
– atropine
– hyoscyamine
• Urinary antiseptic drug
– methylene blue
– methenamine
• Urinary analgesic
– phenazopyride
– phenyl salicylate
Susan M. Turley

Combination Antibiotic, Analgesic,
and Antispasmodic Drugs
• Dolsed
• Pyridium Plus
• Urised
• Urogesic Blue
Susan M. Turley

Pyridium and Pyridium Plus turn the urine
red-orange in color. Dolsed, Urised, and
Urogesic Blue turn the urine a blue-green
color because of the presence of methylene
blue.
Drug Alert!
Susan M. Turley

Drugs Used to Treat Overactive
• Characterized by
– urinary urgency
– urinary frequency
– urinary incontinence (at times)
• Due to involuntary contractions of the
bladder wall as the bladder fills with urine
Bladder
Susan M. Turley

Drugs Used to Treat Overactive
• Drugs block the action of acetylcholine
– reduce the smooth muscle tone of the bladder
Bladder
wall
– decrease bladder contractions
• darifenacin (Enablex)
• solifenacin (Vesicare)
• tolterodine (Detrol)
• trospium (Sanctura)
Susan M. Turley

Did You Know?
The trade name Vesicare is an appropriate
name for this drug because it implies caring
for the bladder; the combining form vesic/o-means
bladder.
Susan M. Turley

Figure 7-4 Drug label for tolterodine (Detrol LA). The LA in the drug name stands for long-acting,
because the drug is manufactured as an extended-release capsule. Extensive magazine and
television advertising of this drug popularized the condition of overactive bladder, and the catchy
phrase “Gotta go, gotta go, gotta go right now!” became well known. According to analysts, the
number of patients asking their physicians for Detrol increased by 45 percent because of this direct-to-
consumer advertising. Reproduced with Permission of Pfizer Inc. All rights reserved
Susan M. Turley

Drugs Used to Treat Benign
Prostatic Hypertrophy
• BPH common in men over 50
• Incidence increases with age
• Prostate gland hypertrophies (enlarges)
– chain reaction in which testosterone is acted
on by an enzyme in prostatic cells
– enzyme converted to dihydrotestosterone
 causes the prostate gland to enlarge
– enlargement is benign and not cancerous
Susan M. Turley

Drugs Used to Treat Benign
Prostatic Hypertrophy
• BPH Symptoms
– difficulty initiating urination
– hesitancy
– decreased urinary stream
• Treatment
– Androgen inhibitor drugs
– alpha1- receptor blocker drugs
Susan M. Turley

Androgen Inhibitor Drugs
• Androgen refers to all of the various male
hormones
• Androgen inhibitor drugs
– inhibit the male hormone dihydrotestosterone
– reduce its effect on the prostate gland
– need to be taken for 6 to 12 months to see if it
is effective in decreasing the size of the
prostate
Susan M. Turley

Androgen Inhibitor Drugs
• dutasteride (Avodart)
• finasteride (Proscar)
– has also been found to decrease the
incidence of cancer of the prostate gland
Susan M. Turley

Figure 7-5 Drug label for finasteride (Proscar). This drug was approved in 1992 as the first
nonsurgical treatment for benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH). Finasteride, under the trade name
Propecia, is also given orally to treat male pattern baldness, but at a lower dose than that of Proscar.
The hormone dihydrotestosterone that causes BPH is also responsible for causing male pattern
baldness. Merck & Co., Inc.
Susan M. Turley

Because dutasteride and finasteride are
androgen inhibitor drugs, their drug inserts,
packaging, and advertising warn women not
to take these drugs or even handle them.
This is because of the possibility that, if the
woman is pregnant or might become
pregnant with a male fetus, the drugs would
block the normal male fetal development
and cause birth defects.
Drug Alert!
Susan M. Turley

Figure 7-6 Drug label for dutasteride (Avodart). This drug label is for the trade name drug Avodart
(generic drug name dutasteride) that is used to treat BPH. This drug comes in the form of soft gelatin
capsules in a dose of 0.5 mg. Notice the warning written at the bottom of the label. Reproduced with
permission of GlaxoSmithKline.
Susan M. Turley

Alpha1-Receptor Blocker Drugs for
• Block alpha1 receptors in the smooth
muscle of the walls of the urethra and
prostate gland
– causes the smooth muscle to relax
– causes urine to flow more easily
BPH
Susan M. Turley

• Few alpha1 receptors in the neck of the
bladder
– the drug does not relax the muscles in the
bladder
– the drug does not cause incontinence
BPH
Susan M. Turley

BPH
• alfuzosin (Uroxatral)
• doxazosin (Cardura)
• tamsulosin (Flomax)
• terazosin (Hytrin)
Susan M. Turley

Drugs Used to Treat Prostatitis
• Prostatitis
– acute or chronic bacterial infection of the
prostate gland, due to
 urinary tract infection
 sexually transmitted disease
– treated with
 antibiotic drugs
 anti-infective drugs
Susan M. Turley

Drugs Used to Treat Prostatitis
• ciprofloxin (Cipro)
• levofloxacin (Levaquin)
• norfloxacin (Noroxin)
Susan M. Turley

Did You Know?
The alpha1-receptor blocker drugs doxazosin
and terazosin which are used to treat BPH,
are also used to treat hypertension. Their
drug effect relaxes the smooth muscle in the
artery walls, causing them dilate, and this
lowers the blood pressure.
Susan M. Turley

Did You Know?
Saw palmetto, a small palm tree that is
native to the coast of the southeastern
United States, is effective in treating BPH.
Its fruit was used by the Seminole Indians to
treat genitourinary conditions. Today, it is
available as an over-the-counter dietary
supplement.
Susan M. Turley

Drugs Used to Treat Erectile
• Erectile dysfunction is the inability of a
man to achieve and maintain an erection
during intercourse
• Sexual stimulation activates the chemical
cGMP
– relaxes the smooth muscle in the arteries of
Dysfunction
the penis
– increases blood flow
– creates an erection
Susan M. Turley

• Afterwards, enzyme PDE5 metabolizes
cGMP and the erection resolves
Dysfunction
Susan M. Turley

Phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5)
Inhibitor Drugs for ED
• sildenafil (Viagra)
• tadalafil (Cialis)
• vardenafil (Levitra)
Dysfunction
Susan M. Turley

Click on the display above to view an animation showing the drug Sildenafil.
Return to Directory
Susan M. Turley

Figure 7-7 Cialis. Once a topic that men hesitated to discuss, even with their own physicians,
erectile dysfunction (ED) and its treatment have become the subject of numerous newspaper articles
and television and magazine advertisements. The mustard-colored, teardrop-shaped tablet of Cialis is
unusual. Note that 6 tablets cost $100.99.
Susan M. Turley

Click on the display above to view a video on the topic of erectile dysfunction.
Return to Directory
Susan M. Turley

Prostaglandin E1 Drugs for ED
• Act locally to relax the smooth muscle in
the arteries of the penis
• Increase blood flow and create an erection
• After receiving training, the patient
– injects the drug (Caverject, Edex) into the side
of the penis, or
– inserts a pellet (Muse) into the urethra
• alprostadil (Caverject, Edex, Muse)
Dysfunction
Susan M. Turley

Did You Know?
Viagra was the first drug for treating erectile
dysfunction. It was approved in 1998 and, in
the first 3 months it was on the market,
physicians wrote 3 million prescriptions for
it. Even former presidential candidate Bob
Dole appeared in a television commercial,
candidly discussing ED and urging viewers
to ask their doctor about appropriate
treatment.
Susan M. Turley

Did You Know?
From 1998 to 2003, 20 million prescriptions
were written for Viagra, for about 1 billion
tablets! Following the success of Viagra,
both Levitra and Cialis were introduced by
other drug companies in 2003. The average
age of a man using these drugs is 55.
Because of the baby boomer generation, it
is estimated that there will be 34 million men
in this age range by 2010 and one in every
10 could have erectile dysfunction.
Susan M. Turley

Although the PDE5 inhibitor drugs for
erectile dysfunction improve the quality and
duration of an erection in men with erectile
dysfunction, the drug inserts and
advertisements warn that men experiencing
an erection lasting longer than 4 hours
should see their physician or go to the
emergency room.
Drug Alert!
Susan M. Turley

This adverse effect might occur more often
with Cialis because its duration of action is
36 hours, compared to 4 hours for Viagra
and 5 hours for Levitra. All of the PDE5
inhibitor drugs can also cause a temporary
loss of the ability to see blue/green colors!
Drug Alert!
Susan M. Turley

Prostaglandin is a naturally occurring body
substance that was first isolated from the
prostate gland, from which it derives its
name. Prostaglandins are present in many
different tissues in the body and, when used
as drugs, they have several different
actions. Prostaglandin E1 drugs cause
vasodilation, which is useful in treating
erectile dysfunction.
In Depth
Susan M. Turley

Prostaglandin E1 drugs are also used to keep
open a patent ductus arteriosus to sustain
life in a newborn with a congenital heart
defect such as tetralogy of Fallot.
Prostaglandin E2 drugs stimulate smooth
muscle in the wall of the uterus and are
used to induce premature labor and
terminate a pregnancy.
In Depth
Susan M. Turley

Ch07 bb

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

Similar to Ch07 bb

Similar to Ch07 bb (20)

Ch07 bb