A pre-hospital team is managing a 55-year-old male who has developed acute pulmonary oedema. He has a blood pressure of 170/100 mmHg. They administer ...

Question

A pre-hospital team is managing a 55-year-old male who has developed acute pulmonary oedema. He has a blood pressure of 170/100 mmHg. They administer sublingual GTN 400 micrograms spray. How does GTN improve acute pulmonary oedema?

Accepted Answer

GTN causes venodilation (reducing preload) and arteriolar dilation at higher doses (reducing afterload) - this reduces pulmonary venous congestion and left ventricular filling pressure

Answer

GTN opens the pulmonary alveoli like a bronchodilator

Answer

GTN directly stimulates cardiac contractility

Answer

GTN acts as a diuretic removing fluid from the lungs

Answer

GTN causes bronchoconstriction which slows breathing and reduces fluid leak

uk-dipimc MCQ (SBA): GTN Mechanism in Pulmonary Oedema

A pre-hospital team is managing a 55-year-old male who has developed acute pulmonary oedema. He has a blood pressure of 170/100 mmHg. They administer sublingual GTN 400 micrograms spray. How does GTN improve acute pulmonary oedema?