Selective Aldosterone Antagonists (Nursing)

00:01 Now, another one of the blockers is a selective aldosterone antagonist. Remember, aldosterone tells my body to hang on to sodium, and what follows every time my body hangs on to sodium? Yeah, water. That's right.

00:19 So what aldosterone tells my kidneys, "Hey, guys? Hang on to sodium." When the kidneys reabsorb or hang on to sodium, water always follows sodium.

00:30 So, if we've got a selective aldosterone antagonist, we're going to have less of that happening.

00:36 We'll have less increased volume, so we will have less volume.

00:40 Now, these guys are more selective than spironolactone because they bind aldosterone receptors and other hormone receptors.

00:47 So these guys, that's why they're called selective aldosterone antagonist.

00:53 They're more selective than spironolactone.

00:56 Eplerone only binds to aldosterone receptors. So, I don't want to let that go by too quickly.

01:03 Eplerone only binds to aldosterone receptors.

01:08 It's much more selective than the spironolactone. So, cool.

01:13 Spironolactone hits aldosterone receptors and other hormone receptors but Eplerone, a selective aldosterone antagonist, only binds to aldosterone receptors. So, it's a lot more specific.

01:25 Cool. That's a really good thing because we'll have less side effects.

01:28 So when you have this aldosterone receptor blocked, decreases sodium reabsorption and therefore, you have an increased potassium retention. Remember that, when I hang on to more sodium, I lose my potassium.

01:42 But if I'm not hanging on to extra sodium, I'm going to have an increased potassium.

01:48 So, adverse effects of this? Risk for hyperkalemia.

01:54 Because I don't have that result of now I have blocked that receptor, normally, if I hang on to sodium, I -- my body gets rid of potassium, but now I'm blocking those receptors and that's the reason for hyperkalemia or high potassium.

02:11 So here's a wrap up of our high blood pressure categories from normal all the way through to hypertensive crisis.

02:18 Now, it'd be great if you don't currently know your blood pressure that you make sure you do within the next couple of days.

02:24 Go out and check your blood pressure and see which of these categories you fall into.

02:29 And then work your way around your family.

02:31 Give them the excuse that you just need to practice what you've learned in lab, but you may make a real impact on your family's health if you can monitor their blood pressure, kind of, undercover.