Medications Commonly Used on a Cardiac Unit

Hi everyone!

I've been super busy with school lately, and I've now entered my second semester. I've started Nursing 102, and one of the requirements is that we look up our patient's meds, and format cards for each medication. The card contains the generic and trade name, therapeutic class, pharmacologic class, key points for administration, and other patient specific things, like route, dose and time of administration.

I just started on a cardiac unit, and I was wondering if some more experienced nurses and students alike could tell me what the most common medications are on a cardiac floor. I wanted to get a jump on my cards, so my work load isn't so heavy when I do my initial patient look up. I figured if I could find out what the top 10 or 20 meds were, I could learn about them and make the cards ahead of time, I would better understand the basics about the drug when I actually came upon a patient who was prescribed it.

I really appreciate the help... a generic, or trade name for some meds would be great. Once I find those out, I can research the rest!
Cardizem, Metoprolol, Clonidine, Atenolol = BP meds.Also see cardiac pts on Coumadin and Digoxin quite often.

Heparin, Integrillin, Plavix

apresolineamiodaronehydralazinemost beta blockers (esp. lopressor, labelotol, coreg)cardizemnitroASAdigoxinhctzcoumadin

simvastatin. crestor . propanolol. tricor. lovenox. procardia. vasotec. stool softeners after CABG, as not to strain the heart, like MOM, colace, ducolax. dobutamine IV (adrenergic agonist) increases CO. dopamine IV (increase CO, treat low b/p).nitroglycerin iv (vasodilator).natrecor (for CHF)

Heparin, lovenox, arixtra for the injectable anticoagulants. Morphine. Lasix. All of the aforementioned meds.

in addition to the othe meds listed, multaq is another fairly common med.

google them........http://www.flashcardexchange.com/flashcards/list/389131http://www.mamc.amedd.army.mil/cardi...ts/book148.pdfhttp://tinyurl.com/4sdyl58

Quote from VickieStudentNurseHi everyone! I've been super busy with school lately, and I've now entered my second semester. I've started Nursing 102, and one of the requirements is that we look up our patient's meds, and format cards for each medication. The card contains the generic and trade name, therapeutic class, pharmacologic class, key points for administration, and other patient specific things, like route, dose and time of administration.

Effient and Plavix. Looking up core measures for HF and AMI are a good way to identify importance, this will help you think critically. http://www.jointcommission.org/core_measure_set/

Thank you SO much everyone! These are great.Quote from JustinAllenI am very surprised that you are just now doing this in your second semester. We started seeing patients in our 3rd week of our first semester had had to know all of this for our patient starting on day one. We were quizzed and tested before each time.Not trying to stir up any issues here but are you in a BSN or ADN program?

There are also multiple threads on Allnurses about this very subject.

Vickie,Thanks for the info. In our program (BSN program) we have been giving all meds since our 3rd day of clinicals. Once we have given meds with an instructor the first time we were allowed to give them without instructor supervision after that. Except for IV meds, they always need supervision. Most of our other work can be done alone once we show advanced competency in the skill, however we have a great instructor/student ratio and they are usually interested in watching.They have also tried to pick patients that were within our area of study for that week but as you know so many patients have multiple system issues, so there were plenty of other meds that we had to know. And like you, our instructors grill us on everything about the med we are about to give, including patho of the med and why that specific patient was getting it. We also have been asked about interactions with other meds as well...lots of studying the evening before clinicals Look at your patients meds, see the picture they paint, why they are on them, what the side effects are, and how they are responding to them. USe your critical thinking skills and all of this will let you get a better handle on meds....even if you haven't given that specific med before.