Nurses have the critical role of ensuring that safety and quality is promoted in the provision of healthcare services. They ensure that the rights of the patients are protected in caring for them. They also advocate for the provision of safe environments that promote the health and wellbeing of the patients. Nurses also promote safety by ensuring that patients receive the right drug, at the right time, through the right route, and dosage. In doing this, they utilize their knowledge in pharmacokinetics and pharmacotherapeutics. They also explore the factors that influence drug pharmacokinetics and pharmacotherapeutics. Therefore, this research paper explores the influence of gender on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacokinetics of a drug.
The selected factor that influences the pharmacokinetics and pharmacotherapy of drugs prescribed to the patient in the assigned case study is gender. Gender refers to the expression of one’s function using masculinity and femininity. There exist significant differences in the response of men and women to drugs. For instance, women are highly at a risk of being overdosed when compared to men. This is attributed to factors such as their high level of sensitivity to drugs alongside the behavior of women in relation to drug use (Tamargo et al., 2017). Women also have a small volume distribution, high free drug fraction, and low drug clearance when compared to the men.
The rate of drug absorption is also different in males and females. For instance, women receive a wide range of drug dosages through the transdermal route due to their large subcutaneous lipid content than men are. The absorption of drugs such as rifampicin is also higher in men than in women. The rate of drug metabolism is also generally higher in women than in men. This is attributed to factors that include the high levels of CYP3A isoenzymes that increase first pass metabolism of drugs that are administered orally. However, the rate of drug absorption is high in men than in women. The difference is attributed to the fact that the mean transit time of drugs in men is shorter in men than in women. There is also a significant difference in the pharmacodynamics of drugs between men and women. The difference arises from the high sensitivity to cortisol suppression in women than in men. Women are also vulnerable to the effects of helper T lymphocytes and basophils (Graziani & Nisticò, 2015). Therefore, these factors contribute to the differences in pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics in men and women.
The changes in the processes of a patient have an impact on the recommended drug therapy. A change in the processes will imply that the pharmacodynamics and pharmacotherapeutics of are altered. For instance, a change in renal elimination will affect renal clearance of drugs. This will result in a change in the drug regime since drugs that are eliminated by other routes such as liver and feces have to be prescribed to the patient. A change in the processes will also increase the risk of toxicity and drug-related interactions (Rodieux et al., 2015). Consequently, it increases the need for a revision of the recommended drug therapy.
Several interventions can be embraced to improve the patient’s drug therapy. One of them is obtaining comprehensive history from the patient. This will eliminate incidences of adverse reactions to drugs due to history of drug sensitivities. The other intervention is through educating the patient about the importance of the drug, its interactions, side effects, and adverse effects to report should they occur. Educating them increases their level of understanding, hence, adherence to medications. The last intervention is prioritizing the rights and principles of safe prescribing and drug use in healthcare. The administration of drugs should ensure that the drug is given to the right patient, through the right route, dosage, and time (Costa et al., 2015). Therefore, I will make these recommendations to ensure safety in drug use, hence, health and wellbeing of the patients.
In summary, gender influences the pharmacokinetics and pharmacotherapy of drugs prescribed to the patient in the case study. Women are likely to be affected by drug-related toxicities than men due to their high level of sensitivity to drugs. A change in processes such as renal elimination alters the prescribed regime of a given drug. Therefore, nurses should aim at adopting interventions that increase the effectiveness of drug therapy.
References
Costa, E., Giardini, A., Savin, M., Menditto, E., Lehane, E., Laosa, O., … & Marengoni, A. (2015). Interventional tools to improve medication adherence: review of literature. Patient preference and adherence, 9, 1303.
Graziani, M., & Nisticò, R. (2015). Gender differences in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of methadone substitution therapy. Frontiers in pharmacology, 6, 122.
Rodieux, F., Wilbaux, M., van den Anker, J. N., & Pfister, M. (2015). Effect of kidney function on drug kinetics and dosing in neonates, infants, and children. Clinical pharmacokinetics, 54(12), 1183-1204.
Tamargo, J., Rosano, G., Walther, T., Duarte, J., Niessner, A., Kaski, J. C., … & Torp-Pedersen, C. (2017). Gender differences in the effects of cardiovascular drugs. European Heart Journal–Cardiovascular Pharmacotherapy, 3(3), 163-182.
..heart disease remains the No. 1 killer in America; nearly half of all Americans have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or smoke—some of the leading risk factors for heart disease…
—Murphy et al., 2018
Despite the high mortality rates associated with cardiovascular disorders, improved treatment options do exist that can help address those risk factors that afflict the majority of the population today.
As an advanced practice nurse, it is your responsibility to recommend appropriate treatment options for patients with cardiovascular disorders. To ensure the safety and effectiveness of drug therapy, advanced practice nurses must consider aspects that might influence pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes such as medical history, other drugs currently prescribed, and individual patient factors. Assignment: Pharmacotherapy for Cardiovascular Disorders NURS 6051
Reference: Murphy, S. L., Xu, J., Kochanek, K. D., & Arias, E. (2018). Mortality in the United States, 2017. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db328.htm
To Prepare
Review the Resources for this module and consider the impact of potential pharmacotherapeutics for cardiovascular disorders introduced in the media piece.
Review the case study assigned by your Instructor for this Assignment.
Select one the following factors: genetics, gender, ethnicity, age, or behavior factors.
Reflect on how the factor you selected might influence the patient’s pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes.
Consider how changes in the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes might impact the patient’s recommended drug therapy.
Think about how you might improve the patient’s drug therapy plan based on the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic changes. Reflect on whether you would modify the current drug treatment or provide an alternative treatment option for the patient. Assignment: Pharmacotherapy for Cardiovascular Disorders NURS 6051
By Day 7 of Week 2
Write a 2- to 3-page paper that addresses the following:
Explain how the factor you selected might influence the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes in the patient from the case study you were assigned.
Describe how changes in the processes might impact the patient’s recommended drug therapy. Be specific and provide examples.
Explain how you might improve the patient’s drug therapy plan and explain why you would make these recommended improvements.
Reminder: The College of Nursing requires that all papers submitted include a title page, introduction, summary, and references. The College of Nursing Writing Template with Instructions provided at the Walden Writing Center offers an example of those required elements (available at https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/templates/general#s-lg-box-20293632). All papers submitted must use this formatting.
Submission and Grading Information
To submit your completed Assignment for review and grading, do the following:
Please save your Assignment using the naming convention “WK2Assgn+last name+first initial.(extension)” as the name.
Click the Week 2 Assignment Rubric to review the Grading Criteria for the Assignment.
Click the Week 2 Assignment link. You will also be able to “View Rubric” for grading criteria from this area.
Next, from the Attach File area, click on the Browse My Computer button. Find the document you saved as “WK2Assgn+last name+first initial.(extension)” and click Open.
If applicable: From the Plagiarism Tools area, click the checkbox for I agree to submit my paper(s) to the Global Reference Database.
Click on the Submit button to complete your submission. Assignment: Pharmacotherapy for Cardiovascular Disorders NURS 6051
Grading Criteria
To access your rubric:
Week 2 Assignment Rubric
Check Your Assignment Draft for Authenticity
To check your Assignment draft for authenticity:
Submit your Week 2 Assignment draft and review the originality report.
Next week, you will examine strategies for the treatment and management of respiratory disorders, including asthma. You will analyze asthma and stepwise management and consider the impact of this approach for patient health.
Next Week
To go to the next week:
Week 3
Week 2: Cardiovascular System
Alterations of the cardiovascular system can cause serious adverse events and may lead to death when not treated in a timely and safe manner. Unfortunately, many patients with cardiovascular disorders are unaware until complications appear. In clinical settings, patients often present with symptoms of several cardiovascular disorders, making it essential for you, as the advanced practice nurse, to be able to recognize these symptoms and recommend appropriate drug treatment options.
This week, you examine the impact of patient factors that may lead to changes in pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes on patient drug therapy for cardiovascular disorders. You also explore ways to improve drug therapy plans for cardiovascular disorders based on patient factors and overall health needs.
Learning Objectives
Students will:
Analyze the influence of patient factors on pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes
Analyze the impact of changes in pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes on patient drug therapies
Evaluate drug therapy plans for cardiovascular disorders
Learning Resources
Required Readings (click to expand/reduce)
Rosenthal, L. D., & Burchum, J. R. (2021). Lehne’s pharmacotherapeutics for advanced practice nurses and physician assistants (2nd ed.) St. Louis, MO: Elsevier.
Chapter 33, “Review of Hemodynamics” (pp. 285–289)
Chapter 37, “Diuretics” (pp. 290–296)
Chapter 38, “Drugs Acting on the Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System” (pp. 297–307)
Chapter 41, “Drugs for Hypertension” (pp. 316–324)
Chapter 42, “Drugs for Heart Failure” (pp. 325–336)
Chapter 43, “Antidysrhythmic Drugs” (pp. 337–348)
Chapter 44, “Prophylaxis of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease: Drugs That Help Normalize Cholesterol and Triglyceride Levels” (pp. 349–363)
Chapter 45, “Drugs for Angina Pectoris” (pp. 364–371)
Chapter 46, “Anticoagulant and Antiplatelet Drugs” (pp. 372–388)
Required Media (click to expand/reduce)
Cardiovascular Disorders
Meet Dr. Norbert Myslinski as he discusses ACE inhibitors, angiotensin inhibitors, beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, and diuretics as different categories of hypertension drugs. What potential drugs might be best recommended for patients suffering from hypertension? (8m)
Cardiovascular DisordersProgram TranscriptNORBERT MYSLINSKI: One of the missions of this course is to straddle the basic sciences and the clinical sciences. Many years ago, Sir William Osler said, “one cannot become a competent clinician without the full knowledge of human physiology and pathology. Without it, one flounders along in aimless fashion, never able to gain an accurate conception of disease, practicing a sort of pop-gun pharmacy, hitting now the malady and again, the patient; he, himself, not knowing which. FEMALE SPEAKER: This week, Dr. Norbert Myslinski examines how categories of drugs, working through different mechanisms, can provide a synergistic effect, creating more treatment options. [MUSIC PLAYING] NORBERT MYSLINSKI: So often, in hospitals and in doctors’ offices and also in medical schools and nursing schools and dental schools, there is this dichotomy between the two. I mean, you first learn the basic sciences. Then you forget about those. Then you go to the clinics. And then you learn the real stuff. But what we want to do in this course is to produce a bridge between the two and make the understanding of the clinical portions more relevant by knowing the basic science, knowing the basic science that we have. Another way in which groups are important is synergism. In pharmacology, we have a concept where the effect of two different drugs is greater than the sum of the individual drugs, and which is very important when you combine different drugs, and especially when you have groups of drugs or categories that work via different mechanisms of action. You may have a same end result of different categories of drugs, but they work via different mechanisms. And if you do that, you’re more likely to get a synergistic effect then if they all worked via the same mechanism Some drugs work via the same mechanism no matter what their effects are, for instance, aspirin. Aspirin has many effects, right? Aspirin is an analgesic. It alleviates pain. Aspirin is anti-inflammatory. It alleviates inflammation. Aspirin is an anticoagulant for the blood. Aspirin also is antipyretic. It decreases body temperature, OK? But how does it do it? It has many effects. By the way, all drugs have multiple effects. No drug only has one effect. All drugs have more than one effect. But how does aspirin do all these different effects? Via the same mechanism, and that’s through the inhibition of a certain compound in the body called prostaglandins. So the inhibition of the synthesis of prostaglandins produces all
Alterations of the cardiovascular system can cause serious adverse events and may lead to death when not treated in a timely and safe manner. Unfortunately, many patients with cardiovascular disorders are unaware until complications appear. In clinical settings, patients often present with symptoms of several cardiovascular disorders, making it essential for you, as the advanced practice nurse, to be able to recognize these symptoms and recommend appropriate drug treatment options.
This week, you examine the impact of patient factors that may lead to changes in pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes on patient drug therapy for cardiovascular disorders. You also explore ways to improve drug therapy plans for cardiovascular disorders based on patient factors and overall health needs.
Learning Objectives
Students will:
Analyze the influence of patient factors on pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes
Analyze the impact of changes in pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes on patient drug therapies
Evaluate drug therapy plans for cardiovascular disorders
Learning Resources
Required Readings (click to expand/reduce)
Rosenthal, L. D., & Burchum, J. R. (2021). Lehne’s pharmacotherapeutics for advanced practice nurses and physician assistants (2nd ed.) St. Louis, MO: Elsevier.
Chapter 33, “Review of Hemodynamics” (pp. 285–289)
Chapter 37, “Diuretics” (pp. 290–296)
Chapter 38, “Drugs Acting on the Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System” (pp. 297–307)
Chapter 41, “Drugs for Hypertension” (pp. 316–324)
Chapter 42, “Drugs for Heart Failure” (pp. 325–336)
Chapter 43, “Antidysrhythmic Drugs” (pp. 337–348)
Chapter 44, “Prophylaxis of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease: Drugs That Help Normalize Cholesterol and Triglyceride Levels” (pp. 349–363)
Chapter 45, “Drugs for Angina Pectoris” (pp. 364–371)
Chapter 46, “Anticoagulant and Antiplatelet Drugs” (pp. 372–388)
Required Media (click to expand/reduce)
Cardiovascular Disorders
Meet Dr. Norbert Myslinski as he discusses ACE inhibitors, angiotensin inhibitors, beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, and diuretics as different categories of hypertension drugs. What potential drugs might be best recommended for patients suffering from hypertension? (8m)
Rubric Detail
Select Grid View or List View to change the rubric’s layout.
Name: NURS_6521_Week2_Assignment_Rubric
Grid View
List View
Excellent Good Fair Poor
Explain how the factor you selected might influence the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes in the patient from the case study you were assigned.
23 (23%) – 25 (25%)
The response accurately and completely explains in detail how the factor selected might influence the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes in the patient.
20 (20%) – 22 (22%)
The response provides a basic explanation of how the factor selected might influence the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes in the patient.
18 (18%) – 19 (19%)
The response inaccurately or vaguely explains how the factor selected might influence the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes in the patient.
0 (0%) – 17 (17%)
The response inaccurately and vaguely explains how the factor selected might influence the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes in the patient, or is missing.
Describe how changes in the processes might impact the patient’s recommended drug therapy. Be specific and provide examples.
27 (27%) – 30 (30%)
The response accurately and completely describes in detail how changes in the processes might impact the patient’s recommended drug therapy.
Accurate, complete, and aligned examples are provided to support the response.
24 (24%) – 26 (26%)
The response accurately describes how changes in the processes might impact the patient’s recommended drug therapy.
Accurate examples may be provided to support the response.
21 (21%) – 23 (23%)
The response inaccurately or vaguely describes how changes in the processes might impact the patient’s recommended drug therapy.
Inaccurate or vague examples are provided to support the response.
0 (0%) – 20 (20%)
The response inaccurately and vaguely describes how changes in the processes might impact the patient’s recommended drug therapy, or is missing.
Inaccurate and vague examples may be provided to support the response, or is missing.
Explain how you might improve the patient’s drug therapy plan, and explain why you would make these recommended improvements.
27 (27%) – 30 (30%)
The response accurately and clearly explains in detail how to improve the patient’s drug therapy plan.
The response includes an accurate and detailed explanation to support the recommended improvements.
24 (24%) – 26 (26%)
The response accurately explains how to improve the patient’s drug therapy plan.
The response may include an accurate explanation to support the recommended improvements.
21 (21%) – 23 (23%)
The response inaccurately or vaguely explains how to improve the patient’s drug therapy plan.
The response may include an inaccurate, vague, or misaligned explanation to support the recommended improvements.
0 (0%) – 20 (20%)
The response inaccurately and vaguely explains how to improve the patient’s drug therapy plan, or is missing.
The response may include an inaccurate and vague explanation to support the recommended improvements, or is missing.
Written Expression and Formatting – Paragraph Development and Organization:
Paragraphs make clear points that support well developed ideas, flow logically, and demonstrate continuity of ideas. Sentences are carefully focused–neither long and rambling nor short and lacking substance.
5 (5%) – 5 (5%)
Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity.
4 (4%) – 4 (4%)
Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity 80% of the time.
3.5 (3.5%) – 3.5 (3.5%)
Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity 60%–79% of the time.
0 (0%) – 3 (3%)
Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity less than 60% of the time.
Written Expression and Formatting – English writing standards:
Correct grammar, mechanics, and proper punctuation
5 (5%) – 5 (5%)
Uses correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation with no errors
4 (4%) – 4 (4%)
Contains a few (1–2) grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors
3.5 (3.5%) – 3.5 (3.5%)
Contains several (3–4) grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors
0 (0%) – 3 (3%)
Contains many (≥ 5) grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors that interfere with the reader’s understanding
Written Expression and Formatting – The paper follows correct APA format for title page, headings, font, spacing, margins, indentations, page numbers, running head, parenthetical/in-text citations, and reference list.
5 (5%) – 5 (5%)
Uses correct APA format with no errors
4 (4%) – 4 (4%)
Contains a few (1–2) APA format errors
3.5 (3.5%) – 3.5 (3.5%)
Contains several (3–4) APA format errors
0 (0%) – 3 (3%)
Contains many (≥ 5) APA format errors
Total Points: 100
Name: NURS_6521_Week2_Assignment_Rubric