Final answer:
Medications like Warfarin, Atenolol, Enalapril, Digoxin, and Ritalin have significant effects on a patient's vital signs, including risks like bleeding, bradycardia, cough, digitalis toxicity, and elevated heart rate and blood pressure.
Step-by-step explanation:
Medications can greatly affect a patient's vital signs, causing a range of potential complications. Here are the effects and possible complications related to the listed medications:
- Warfarin: Used as an anticoagulant, it can lead to bleeding complications if not properly managed.
- Atenolol: A ß-blocker that can cause bradycardia if overdosed and is used to lower blood pressure.
- Enalapril: An ACE inhibitor that can reduce blood pressure and improve symptoms of heart failure but may cause cough or angioedema.
- Digoxin: Used for heart failure and atrial fibrillation, may result in digitalis toxicity, especially if used with other negative inotropic agents.
- Ritalin: Primarily for ADHD, can raise heart rate and blood pressure and potentially lead to cardiovascular events in predisposed individuals.
When examining the effect of ß-blockers like Atenolol on vital signs, one can hypothesize that by blocking adrenaline receptors in the heart, these medications reduce heart rate (HR) and lower blood pressure, potentially reducing the load on the heart. Overprescribing or incorrect dosing can lead to excessive lowering of HR, which may become dangerous. For certain medications such as Warfarin, pharmacogenomics can be leveraged to understand an individual's liver function and tailor dosage to prevent overdose and bleeding complications.