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Query: UMLS:C0011570 (depression)
 172,036 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The effects of calcium entry blockers on stimulated cholesteryl [3H]-oleate deposition in cultured macrophages were characterized in order to elucidate mechanisms underlying possible antiatherosclerotic effects. Stimulation of intracellular cholesteryl [3H]-oleate deposition was initiated by incubation of macrophages with beta-very low density lipoproteins (beta-VLDL). Nifedipine (Class I) markedly reduced cholesteryl [3H]-oleate deposition at all concentrations tested. However, Bay K 8644, a dihydropyridine which is known to stimulate calcium entry, also reduced cholesteryl [3H]-oleate deposition with a similar potency to nifedipine. The effects of three Class II calcium entry blockers were evaluated: verapamil, methoxyverapamil, and diltiazem. Verapamil inhibited cholesteryl [3H]-oleate deposition in a concentration-dependent manner. Similarly, methoxyverapamil reduced cholesteryl [3H]-oleate deposition in a concentration-dependent manner although the reduction was not as great as that produced by verapamil. In contrast, diltiazem at any concentration tested did not inhibit cholesteryl [3H]-oleate deposition. Flunarizine (a Class III calcium entry blocker) produced a modest stimulation of cholesteryl [3H]-oleate deposition at the lowest concentration used (10(-7)M) but marked depression at the highest concentration (10(-5)M). The results indicate calcium entry blockers may exert protective effects on the development of atherosclerosis in animal models of diet-induced hyperlipidaemia by inhibiting intracellular cholesteryl ester deposition, but this effect may not be related to their calcium entry-blocking effects.
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PMID:Inhibition of cholesteryl ester deposition in macrophages by calcium entry blockers: an effect dissociable from calcium entry blockade. 359 69

Dementias which are either reversible or avoidable are discussed in the light of the literature. The frequency is between 6 and 32%. The most important etiological groups are immunological vasculopathies, hyperlipidemia, some types of encephalitis and, mainly, progressive dementia of the insane, benign tumors and in particular meningioma, low pressure hydrocephalus, intoxications due to drugs, industrial products and alcohol, metabolic disturbances, encephalopathy in dialysed patients, ileo-jejunal-bypass encephalopathy and encephalopathy due to neoplasms. Dementias are also seen in endocrinological disturbances and particularly in hypothyroidism. Vitamin B12 and folate deficiency, as well as epilepsy, may be causes of dementia. Depression may mimic a state of dementia. Some features of reversible dementias are listed, including in particular the somewhat more rapid onset, the younger age of patients, and accompanying neurological symptoms such as headache, gait disturbances, ataxia, polyneuropathy, myoclonus or epileptic fits.
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PMID:[Reversible and preventable dementias]. 361 87

The present status of oral contraceptive steroids and the IUD, the 2 most effective and increasingly popular contraceptive methods (used by 41.6% of all U.S. married couples practicing contraception in 1970), is presented. Oral steroid contraceptives with varying quantity and activity of estrogen (ethinyl estradiol or mestranol) and progestogen (norethindrone, norethynodrel, ethynodiol diacetate, or norgestrel), are of 3 types: combination, sequential, and minidose progestogen alone. The most effective contraceptive available is the combined oral pill with a pregnancy rate of less than .2 % per 100 women after 1 year. Contraceptive action is exerted primarily through inhibition of ovulation and secondarily by alterations in cervical mucus, endometrial glands, the ovary, and in the oviduct and uterine muscle. In comparison, sequential oral contraceptives are less effective with greater side effects, and should only be used in women with amenorrhea. Effects of oral contraceptives other than contraception include those on the (1) the primary targets of the female reproductive system, (2) on other endocrine oragans and (3) on the remainder of the body. In the first group, changes may include transitory stromal fibrosis in the ovary, enlarged fibromyomata, intermenstrual bleeding or amenorrhea, increased amount of cervical mucus, polypoid hyperplasia of the endocervical glands, breast tenderness, and changes in lactation. Changes in the second category which may occur affect the adrenal glands, hypothalamus, the thyroid (increased thyroid-binding globulin), and pancreas (alterations in glucose metabolism). Effects on the rest of the body may include increase in serum lipids and changed atherogenic index, abnormalities in liver function, thromboembolism (incidence in oral contraceptive users 4.4 times that in non-users), melasma, alterations in the central nervous system with increased incidence of cerebral vascular accidents, hypertension, and increased body weight. Absolute contraindications to oral contraceptive therapy include cancer of the breast and uterus, pregnancy, active liver disease, hyperlipidemia, and history of gestational diabetes, thromboembolic phenomena or coronary artery disease. Relative contraindications include depression, migraine, myomata of the uterus, hypertension, epilipsy, oligomenorrhea and amenorrhea. Reliable epidemiologic data on IUDs from the Cooperative Statistical Program indicated first year pregnancy rate of 2.5%. Problems with the IUD include: 1) pregnancy with device in situ, which is associated with a higher incidence of spontaneous abortion; 2) ectopic pregnancy, which is prevented at a rate of only 90% compared with intrauterine pregnancies prevented in 97-98%; and 3) expulsions (20% of which are unnoticed), the expulsion rate being higher with decreasing age and parity, higher in the first than second year of use, and higher with smaller than larger devices. A major problem is discontinuation for medical reasons (15% rate in the first year), mainly bleeding and pain. Perforation, another serious complication, occurs initially at time of insertion with an incidence of 1 per 2500 insertions for the loop. IUDs were found to produce a sterile inflammatory tissue reaction, which is postulated as the primary causative factor for their contraceptive effect in humans.
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PMID:Current status of contraceptive steroids and the intrauterine device. 459 80

In order to study the possible relation between blood viscosity and exercise ST segment depressions in hyperlipidemia the former was lowered by infusion of dextran and by treatment with clofibrate 1 g twice daily. Acute decrease of blood viscosity with dextran infusion in two cases increased the ST segment depressions during work. Nine subjects with asymptomatic hyperlipidemia, hyperfibrinogenemia and exercise ST segment depressions were treated with clofibrate in order to lower plasma fibrinogen and serum lipids. This did not influence the area of ST segment depression with either Frank leads or CH leads as determined by computer estimation. As the plasma fibrinogen level is of major importance for the blood viscosity it is concluded that the ischaemic ST segment depression seen in hyperlipidemia is not due to increased blood viscosity but more likely to a premature subclinical coronary atherosclerosis.
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PMID:Effect of blood viscosity decrease on exercise ST segment depressions in hyperlipidemia. 616 35

Ther are several main mechanisms that allow us to understand a number of the hepatic and metabolic effects of ethanol. Ethanol is oxidized in the liver to two products (hydrogen and acetaldehyde), to which many of the effects of ethanol can be attributed. The hydrogen generated alters the redox state, and though this effect is attenuated after chronic ethanol consumption, it may still be sufficient to explain alterations in lipid metabolism, possibly increased collagen deposition, and, under special circumstances, depression of protein synthesis. Acetaldehyde impairs microtubules, decreases protein secretion, and causes protein retention and ballooning of the hepatocyte. Acetaldehyde exerts toxicity also with regard to other key cellular functions, particularly in the mitochondria, and it may promote peroxidation of the cellular membranes. It is noteworthy that after chronic consumption of ethanol, there is increased acetaldehyde, in part because of decreased disposition in the mitochondria and partly because of induction of an alternative pathway of ethanol metabolism, namely the microsomal ethanol-oxidizing system. Indeed, this MEOS increases in activity after chronic ethanol consumption, with cross induction and acceleration of the metabolism of other drugs and increased lipoprotein production with hyperlipemia. There is also increased microsomal activation of hepatotoxic compounds (including drugs and possibly vitamin A). Fibrosis and cirrhosis can develop despite an associated adequate diet and even in the absence of alcoholic hepatitis. They are preceded by myofibroblasts and fibroblast proliferation. What eventually causes the increased number of myofibroblasts and promotes fibrosis is unclear, nor do we know the relative role of hepatocytes or mesenchymal cells in the process of fibroplasis. Possibly selective roles in this process of specific nutritional factors remain to be elucidated.
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PMID:Alcohol, protein nutrition, and liver injury. 634 74

Feeding diets with 4% L-lysine to the chick produces an elevation of plasma lipids which does not occur when feeding an excess of any other amino acid. Experiments were conducted to determine whether lysine-induced hyperlipidemia is secondary to the antagonistic effect of lysine on arginine or to the anorexia which accompanies lysine feeding, and in addition, whether the lysine-induced hypercholesterolemia is affected by chick age. In all experiments gain and food intake were reduced by feeding chicks 4% lysine. Plasma cholesterol and triglyceride were elevated, but high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol, as a percentage of total, was reduced. Addition of dietary arginine up to 4% failed to reverse the depression in performance and elevation of plasma lipids. Pair-feeding the control diet to the amount consumed by lysine-fed chicks did not elevate plasma lipids above control levels. Thus, lysine-induced hyperlipidemia is not mediated by the antagonistic effect of lysine on arginine nor by the effect of lysine on food intake. The high-lysine diet prevented the normal decline in plasma cholesterol expected with advancing age of chicks. Preliminary results suggested that excess lysine stimulated cholesterol biosynthesis.
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PMID:Effect of excess dietary lysine on plasma lipids of the chick. 641 75

In contrast to previous studies of neutrophils from diabetic animals and humans in vitro and of macrophages from diabetic humans in vivo, which reported phagocytic depression, reticuloendothelial system (RES) hyperphagocytosis of colloidal carbon was observed in rats at 14 and 28 days after diabetes induction with streptozotocin (STZ). Carbon clearance half times were significantly enhanced to 6.3 +/- 0.79 and 8.1 +/- 1.04 min at 14 and 28 days post-STZ, respectively, compared with the nondiabetic value (12.7 +/- 0.98 min). The severity of uncontrolled STZ-induced diabetes in rats was confirmed by significant hypoinsulinemia, hyperglucagonemia, hyperglycemia, and hyperlipidemia. Although body weights of STZ-diabetic animals declined progressively, liver weights as a percent of body weight increased above the control value at 14 and 28 days post-STZ. In fact, expression of carbon phagocytosis as the corrected phagocytic index, which accounts for changes in liver and spleen weights relative to body weight, eliminated the significant difference between STZ-diabetic and nondiabetic animals. Antibiotic treatment of diabetic rats failed to alter the hyperphagocytosis, implying that a chronic bacterial infection was not the cause of phagocytic stimulation. Daily insulin replacements, but not a single large insulin dose to 14-day post-STZ rats, reversed the enhanced phagocytosis of colloidal carbon.
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PMID:RES hyperphagocytosis by rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus. 645 65

Low dose estrogen tablets, containing less than 50 mcg of ethinyl estradiol, were formulated because of the recognized dose response relationship with the steroid content of the tablet and side effects. These new oral contraceptives (OCs) are as effective as the older high-dose OCs, and available evidence reports fewer side effects. This discussion reviews pharmacology of these new OCs, the mechanism of action, contraindications, side effects, and problems with the low-dose estrogen OC. Ethinyl estradiol is the only estrogen used in the low-dose combination OC. There are several synthetic progestins: norethindrone, norethindrone acetate, norgestrel, levonorgestrel, and ethynodiol diacetate. These progestins have different potencies so the pharmacologic activity cannot be accurately predicted based on the amount present in the tablet. The synthetic steroids in OCs are absorbed in the small intestine, metabolized in the liver, excreted in the bile and feces with a half-life of 24 hours. The low-dose estrogen combination preparation is taken 3 out of every 4 weeks. Its contraceptive effect is primarily a result of hypothalamic mediated gonadotropin suppression with subsequent inhibition of ovulation. Contraindications to taking the low-dose OC are the same as for the higher dose OC: thromboembolic or cardiovascular disease, estrogen dependent neoplasia, markedly impaired liver function, undiagnosed genital bleeding, congenital hyperlipidemia, pregnancy, and women over age 30 who smoke. Relative contraindications include hypertension, diabetes mellitus, migraine headaches, uterine myomas, and epilepsy. The often quoted 2-5-fold increased incidence of thromboembolic disease, myocardial infarction, and stroke is based on large epidemiologic studies involving patients taking the older higher dose OCs. Current data from patients taking the newer low-dose medication demonstrate minimal if any increased incidence of these problems in young women who do not smoke. The low-dose estrogen OCs have minimal effect on lipid levels. Early reports of patients using the low-dose OC have shown little if any increased incidence of hypertension. The low-dose contraceptives have little effect on glucose tolerance, and there is no evidence to show an increased incidence of overt diabetes in OC users. There is no evidence that use of the combination OC causes an increase in cancer of the cervix, uterus, or ovaries. Clinical complaints of nausea, breast discomfort, chloasma, weight changes, and depression are reduced with the low-dose estrogen preparation. Hypomenorrhea while taking the OC occasionally occurs because the lower dose of estrogen is insufficient to stimulate the endometrial growth in face of the predominant progestin-atrophy effect.
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PMID:Oral contraceptives in 1984. 649 Mar 38

An exercise test may be characterized as positive because of the production of either electrocardiographic ST-segment depression or elevation. The relationship of exercise-induced ST-segment deviation to the specific motion abnormalities of the individual segments of the left ventricular wall was investigated. The first 280 subjects to enter the Program of Surgical Control of Hyperlipidemia were studied by treadmill exercise testing and left ventriculography. The results showed that exercise-induced ST-segment elevation could occur without evidence in the resting subject of either dyskinesia or aneurysm of the left ventricle, that the area of left ventricular damage was much greater in subjects with exercise-induced ST-segment elevation than in those with ST-segment depression, and that wall motion abnormalities were concentrated in the inferoposterior area in the group with ST-segment elevation, but were generally scattered throughout the left ventricular wall in the group with ST-segment depression.
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PMID:Directional ST-segment deviation in graded exercise tests correlated with motion of the individual segments of the left ventricular wall. 661 66

Oral contrceptives (OCs), usd by over 30% of reproductive aged women in Belgium, are by far the most widely used contraceptive in that country. The various types of OCs include monophasic, biphasic, and triphasic combinations of an estrogen and a progestin, sequentials containing estrogen only for 7-14 days followed by a progestin through the 21st day; macrodose or microdose progestin only formulations, 3-month injectable progestins, and the morning after pill. Side effects of OCs are mainly due to metabolic effects on coagulation factors, the renin-angiotensin system, glucose tolerance, or the lipid profile. Users of OCs face increased risks of cholelithiases, thrombophlebitis, thromboembolism, cerebrovascular accidents, myocardial infarcts (among smokers over 35 years of age), and hepatic adenomas. The most troubling secondary effect is the excess cardiovascular morbidity and mortality show by contraceptive users, not just those who are obese, hypertensive, or who have histories of vascular pathology, but also those over 40 years of age and smokers. Lenght of use of OCs does not increase vascular risks. Epidemiologic studies demonstrate that vascular risks are reduced in lower dose formulations. Absolute contraindications to OC use include serious cardiovascular problems, severe hepatic pathology, estrogen-dependent tumors, pregnancy and undiagnosed gynecologic problems, and significant hyperlipidemia. Relative contraindications include severe headaches, cholelithiase, previous cholestasis of pregnancy, severe renal disease, fibromyomas, benign breast disease, age over 40 years, smoking, surgery anticipated within 4 weeks, infectious mononucleosis, falciform anemia, and immediate postpartum and lactation. Epilepsy, diabetes, depression, and varicose veins are not strictly speaking contraindications but require additonal surveillance. Lower dose formulations should be prescribed if possible. OC users should be followed up every 6-12 months. Among other steroidal contraceptive methods, sequential OCs and high dose progestin-only formulations are used for short-term treatment of specific conditions. Progestin-only minipills are used when an OC is desired but estrogens are contraindicated. Injectable progestins should be reserved for patients who for cultural or medical reasons can use no other type of contraceptive. Morning-after pills should not be considered a regular form of contraception. If OCs are used in adolescents, a low dose pill is indicated. Low dose OCs may be indicated for diabetics because of the danger of infection with IUDs and the lesser efficacy of barrier methods. If OCs are used in epileptics, they should be regular dosed because of the danger of drug interactions. Only low-dose formulations and progestin-only minipills should be used by women over 40.
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PMID:[The choice of oral contraception in 1984: general indications and specific cases]. 672 93


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