What drug class is used to treat angina attacks?

What drug class is used to treat angina attacks?

• A. Antidiabetic
• B. Antianemic
• C. Antidysrhythmic
• D. Antianginal

Answer: (D)

Angina attacks arise when the heart muscle doesn’t get enough oxygen. Drugs in the antianginal class are specifically used to relieve that problem by lowering the heart’s oxygen demand or by improving blood flow to the heart. Nitrates rapidly relieve angina by dilating veins, which reduces preload and the heart’s workload. Beta-blockers slow the heart rate and decrease contractility, cutting oxygen use. Calcium channel blockers relax vascular smooth muscle, lowering afterload and can prevent coronary spasm. This targeted aim to ease angina distinguishes antianginals from other drug classes. Antidiabetic treatments diabetes, antianemic treats anemia, and antidysrhythmic drugs address blood sugar, anemia, or rhythm disorders, not the oxygen balance driving angina, so they’re not the correct classification here.

Angina attacks arise when the heart muscle doesn’t get enough oxygen. Drugs in the antianginal class are specifically used to relieve that problem by lowering the heart’s oxygen demand or by improving blood flow to the heart. Nitrates rapidly relieve angina by dilating veins, which reduces preload and the heart’s workload. Beta-blockers slow the heart rate and decrease contractility, cutting oxygen use. Calcium channel blockers relax vascular smooth muscle, lowering afterload and can prevent coronary spasm. This targeted aim to ease angina distinguishes antianginals from other drug classes. Antidiabetic treatments diabetes, antianemic treats anemia, and antidysrhythmic drugs address blood sugar, anemia, or rhythm disorders, not the oxygen balance driving angina, so they’re not the correct classification here.