Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0004153 (atherosclerosis)
 77,401 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

A familial etiology was identified on the basis of family history in 16 (8.75%) of 184 patients undergoing cardiac transplantation at Stanford for endstage dilated cardiomyopathy (DC). These 16 patients, from 11 families, included 5 sibling pairs. To help determine optimal management of such patients, their case histories and posttransplant courses were reviewed. Mean age of patients at presentation was 23 +/- 15 years. In sibling pairs, duration of symptoms from onset to diagnosis was 14 +/- 5 weeks for the first sibling, but only 4 +/- 2 weeks for the second. Progressive cardiac enlargement was documented radiographically in siblings of transplant recipients in 2 families before the onset of symptoms. The posttransplant course with regard to rejection incidence, infectious complications, coronary artery disease and malignancy was similar to that of the 168 patients with nonfamilial DC. Actuarial survival at 5 years after transplantation was 80%. Thirteen patients (including all sibling pairs) are alive 1 to 11 years after transplantation. Sepsis was the cause of death in 3 patients, occurring during the early postoperative period in 2 and following retransplantation for graft atherosclerosis 7 years after the initial transplant in the third patient. Thus, diagnosis of DC in childhood or adolescence mandates evaluation and surveillance of family members, because this disease can progress rapidly. The favorable results of cardiac transplantation for familial DC suggest that it should be promptly considered for such patients with end-stage disease.
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PMID:Frequency of familial nature of dilated cardiomyopathy and usefulness of cardiac transplantation in this subset. 264 93

The non-enzyme reaction by which glucose can combine with free amines has been known since the beginning of the century: in 1912, Mallard reported the combination of glucose with amino acids. This reaction results in the formation of cetoamine or fructosamine as well as often complex sub-products responsible for a change in the color of the medium that turns brown. This process, which food chemists are well-familiar with, was not observed in vivo until three-quarters of a century later. In 1975, hemoglobin A was shown to combine with glucose by means of a non-enzyme reaction, producing hemoglobin A1c. HbA1c is now believed to be a "black box", i.e. a cumulative reflection of all the hyperglycemic episodes that occurred over the last hundred days. This discovery was followed by an impressive number of similar observations: nearly all the available amines seem able to participate in this kind of reaction. Plasma proteins, membrane proteins, structural proteins such as collagen, the apolipoproteins of circulating lipoproteins, intracellular tubulines, and even nucleic acids seem capable of undergoing glycation. A great number of bioclinica uses of this phenomenon have already been developed. Diabetes mellitus has benefited most from these investigations and, from a broader viewpoint, studies in this field are unquestionably central to our understanding of atherosclerosis, inflammation, and cancer. Furthermore, the entire spectrum of these observations are related to ageing.
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PMID:[Glucose and its protein environment in vivo]. 264 40

Since our initial orthotopic heart transplant (OHT) in 1968, the first in Europe, 1130 patients with ages ranging from 1 month to 66 years have been referred to us. The cause of irreversible myocardial damage was idiopathic cardiomyopathy in 74%, ischemic heart disease in 19% and left ventricular failure after valvular replacement in 7%. A total of 540 transplantations, 463 orthotopic, 40 heterotopic and 37 heart-lungs were carried out. Features of the early post-operative course include temporary (first week) cardiac instability treated by isoproterenol. Later complications included rejection (95%) and side-effects of immunosuppressive therapy; infection (83%), osteoporosis, malignancy, graft atherosclerosis (2%). Cyclosporine (Cy) was responsible for diastolic hypertension, renal dysfunction, hirsutism, hyperplasia of the gingiva, hepatic dysfunction, and seizures. The survival rate of the Cy-treated patients was 68% at 7 years. All survivors have virtually normal social and professional lives, included the longest survivor 14 years after the operation. Recently in 34 patients in acute irreversible cardiac failure and who cannot have a transplant in time, we implant a total artificial heart (TAH) type JARVIK 7 during a period from 1-150 days. There has been no mechanical failure, hemolysis or thrombo-embolism and only one right ventricular device malposition; 20 patients died before transplantation, 13 were successfully transplanted, 1 is still on the artificial heart. Heart transplantation, and TAH used as a bridge to transplantation are now an accepted therapeutic means for irreversibly cardiac failure in selected patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:Current problems in cardiac transplantation. 266 Sep 20

Whereas up to the end of the last century overweight reflected the privilege of the high society and her relative good health, the recent epidemiological studies have assessed the relations between body weight and general or cause specific morbidity and mortality. The major diseases associated with obesity are hypertension, atherosclerosis and diabetes, as well as certain types of cancer. Less well known complications include hepatic steatosis, gallbladder diseases, pulmonary function impairment, endocrine abnormalities, obstetric complications, trauma to the weight bearing joints, gout, cutaneous diseases, proteinuria, increased hemoglobin concentration and possibly immunologic impairments. From these wide epidemiological studies arise the definition of obesity: with an excess of 20% beyond the desirable weight, the complications bound to the overweight become statistically more frequent. Over there a U or J shaped curve illustrates the relation between the overweight and the degree of these various complications. An excess of 45 kg or more represents the critical level which defined "morbid obesity" with its own complications, the most important are sudden unexplained death, ventilatory disorders, circulatory congestion and functional limitations in activities of daily living and of course psychological consequences. When for certain complications, such as diabetes, the relationship with the overweight is evident, discrepancies between certain studies, especially for the cardiovascular diseases, had focused the attention on the regional patterns of fat distribution. Cross-sectional studies have shown abdominal obesity to be strongly associated with risk factors for cardiovascular disease, stroke and death independent of the total degree of obesity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:[The contribution of epidemiology to the definition of obesity and its risk factors]. 266 68

This review on the risks and benefits of oral contraceptives clarifies the risks and misperceptions, and discusses 10 potential health benefits. In the U.S. where maternal mortality is about 20.6/100,000, the risk of death from pills ranges from 1.8 for nonsmokers to 6.5 for smokers. It is likely that most of the small existing mortality risk of pill use is due to thromboembolism. Atherosclerosis, the major cause of death for U.S. women, may be reduced by the pill. It is still controversial whether pills increase risk of hepatocellular carcinoma and malignant melanoma; they protect against endometrial cancer (the 3rd greatest cancer killer) and ovarian (the 4th) cancer; they may increase risk slightly in some subgroups for breast and cervical cancer, although data are conflicting. Pills also protect against ectopic pregnancy, benign breast disease, pelvic inflammatory disease, ovarian cysts, iron deficiency anemia and possibly uterine fibroids and osteoporosis. It is no longer held that orals protect against toxic shock syndrome or rheumatoid arthritis. It is estimated that oral contraceptives avert 50,000 hospital admissions per year in the U.S.
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PMID:The health effects of oral contraceptives: misperceptions, controversies, and continuing good news. 266 76

Many studies have been done to try to define new therapeutic uses for calcium antagonists, in diseases in which calcium plays a role. Positive results have been obtained in the prevention of acute attacks of idiopathic Raynaud's disease and migraine, and in effort-induced asthma. Some activity could be demonstrated in selected groups of patients with pulmonary hypertension, manic-depressive illness, untractable epilepsy, various functional gynecological or digestive disorders, and in drug-induced nephrotoxicity. A possible effect on the prevention of resistance to anti-cancer drugs could be of major interest. Their antiplatelet effect, and their possible effect against atherosclerosis, which remains to be confirmed, their lack of side-effects in asthmatics and of interference with glucose regulation increase their usefulness in patients with hypertension or ischemic heart disease, especially when other diseases are present.
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PMID:[Use of calcium inhibitors excluding cardiac pathology and arterial hypertension]. 267 79

Plasma cholesterol has been shown to be correlated to the incidence of cardiovascular events. This observation and experimental data on the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis have led to a number of recommendations for the treatment of elevated plasma lipids by national and international consensus panels and organizations. However, the issue whether lowering cholesterol might increase the risk for other diseases including cancer is still controversial. In this article, an attempt is made to review the currently available data on the relation between plasma cholesterol and cancer. Special emphasis is given to the results of intervention trials aimed at lowering cholesterol by diet and/or drugs, because they apply best to the human situation and are particularly relevant for the clinician. Data from animal experiments are only briefly discussed.
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PMID:Plasma cholesterol, lipid lowering, and risk for cancer. An update of the results from epidemiologic studies and intervention trials. 267 16

The fields of heart and combined heart-lung transplantation continue to evolve, allowing treatment of more individuals with end-stage heart and lung disease. The postoperative course and rehabilitation phase may be arduous, emphasizing the importance of selecting candidates who meet specific medical and psychosocial criteria. Life-long immunosuppression and meticulous long-term medical surveillance are mandatory practices to promote the health of the recipient. The major complications that contribute to morbidity and mortality, especially during the first post-transplant year, are infection and rejection. Graft atherosclerosis, obliterative bronchiolitis, and malignancy are long-term complications that may limit survival. In spite of the emotional and physical challenges related to potentially life-threatening complications and other disturbances in daily living, the quality of life for most recipients has markedly improved.
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PMID:Heart and heart-lung transplantation. 268 76

Although the majority of American women believe that oral contraceptives can cause serious health problems such as cancer or heart disease, the scientific literature does not support these beliefs. Oral contraceptives actually protect against endometrial and ovarian cancer. The increased incidence of cardiovascular disease in oral contraceptive users, including myocardial infarction, appears to be caused by thrombosis and not atherosclerosis. The studies suggesting an increased risk of cardiovascular disease in oral contraceptive users were published in the late 1970s and therefore used a data base of women ingesting formulations containing 50 micrograms of estrogen or more. More recently published data involving healthy women taking mainly lower estrogen dose preparations suggest that there is no increased incidence of myocardial infarction or stroke. Nearly all published studies indicate that there is no increased risk of myocardial infarction in former users of oral contraceptives. Animal data actually suggest that oral contraceptives may have a protective effect against atherosclerosis, even in the presence of lowered high-density lipoprotein levels. The low-dose triphasic and monophasic formulations are effective, safe methods of contraception that can be used by most healthy women of reproductive age.
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PMID:Correcting misconceptions about oral contraceptives. 268 52

There is clear evidence that populations living in Mediterranean countries enjoy a longer life expectancy than Northern Europeans. Genetic or racial factors do not explain these societal differences as revealed by migrant studies. The major causes of death in affluent societies, cardiovascular disease, cancers and digestive disorders, show markedly different incidence rates in different European countries. These differences seem to depend on the varied dietary patterns in Europe but the classic lipid hypothesis alone fails to explain the differing rates of coronary heart disease. Limiting the free radical damage to cholesterol thereby reducing the induction of atherosclerosis is a plausible explanation for the finding that some countries, e.g. France as well as Mediterranean countries with their high fruit and vegetable consumption, are well protected against coronary heart disease. The Mediterranean diet is low in saturated fat content but contains either a high or low content of starch and total fat. A high fat diet reveals the genetically determined individual propensity to obesity, e.g. in Greece, but does not predispose to cardiovascular disease or mitigate against the cancer protective properties derived from the vegetable component of the Greek diet. Studies in the Mediterranean area highlight the considerable dietary diversity which is possible for achieving longevity.
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PMID:The Mediterranean diet: protective or simply non-toxic? 268 63


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