Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0012833 (dizziness)
 9,689 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Since the introduction of fenofibrate to European clinical practice in 1975, some 6.5 million patient-years of experience in the treatment of hyperlipidemia have been accumulated. A review of results of clinical trials shows fenofibrate to have a broad spectrum of lipid-lowering activity, reducing the total cholesterol level by 20-25% in type IIa patients and triglycerides by 40-60% in type IIb and IV patients. High levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol are reduced and, where low at baseline, high-density lipoprotein levels are increased. An associated activity is a 10-28% reduction in serum uric acid levels. Adverse reactions in the mostly open clinical trials ranged from 2-15%; mild gastrointestinal problems dominated, and occurred with much the same frequency in the placebo-treated groups of controlled trials. There are also reports of fatigue, headache, loss of libido, dizziness, and insomnia. Some excess of skin rash emerged as the only statistically significant unwanted clinical effect in one placebo-controlled trial. Biochemically, there are occasional fluctuations in serum transaminase values, while gamma-glucuronyl transferase and alkaline phosphatase are often decreased, all without apparent clinical significance. Lithogenicity of the bile is often increased above pretreatment levels, but there is no evidence from trials or postmarketing surveillance that the use of fenofibrate is associated with an increase of gallstone formation.
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PMID:Review of European clinical experience with fenofibrate. 265 20

Fenofibrate is a fibric acid derivative with enhanced potency and specificity of action on lipids. Preclinical toxicology reveals minimal toxic effects; dose-related changes occurred seldom, with only hepatic effects in rodents (mainly enzyme changes), some renal effects in dogs, and no reactions in monkeys. Teratogenicity tests were negative, and mutagenicity was not associated with fenofibrate. Carcinogenicity was evident in rodents with liver carcinoma at doses of 12 or 40 times the human dose, but cancer has not been associated with fenofibrate in over 10 years of clinical research and use. European experience with fenofibrate involved 7,145 patients in short- and long-term clinical trials, plus 10 years of marketing experience with a patient exposure of 6 million patient-years. Adverse effects were relatively low in frequency (6%) in the European clinical trials and manifested as gastrointestinal effects, muscle pain, skin problems, and sweating or dizziness. Short- and long-term fenofibrate studies revealed basically the same scope and frequency of adverse effects. Experience in US clinical trials mirrored the European experience; three types of adverse effects occurred more commonly in fenofibrate patients versus placebo: skin reactions, neurologic effects, and musculoskeletal reactions. Laboratory tests were mildly abnormal for liver function, leukocytes, and hemoglobin; these reactions were significant enough to be considered adverse drug experiences only occasionally. Hepatobiliary tests for lithogenicity showed an increase in cholesterol saturation, but gallstones seldom have been associated with fenofibrate. Postmarketing, open experiences in Europe over 10 years have been consistent with the study results. The rate of reactions has been low (about 115/year or a 0.3% incidence rate). The reactions noted in these spontaneous reports were hepatic, renal, gallstones, cutaneous, hematologic, sexual asthenia, and weight loss. In general, fenofibrate can be considered a safe and well-tolerated lipid-lowering drug that has been scrutinized extensively for safety in clinical research and during an already long marketing period in Europe.
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PMID:Safety of fenofibrate--US and worldwide experience. 267 10

It is estimated that there are approximately six million patient-years of clinical experience with fenofibrate among physicians outside of the United States. A review of the European literature and unpublished studies supplied by the manufacturer (Laboratoires Fournier, Dijon, France) has been compiled with the data recently reported from a double-blind, placebo-controlled study completed in the United States. In general, fenofibrate has been found to reduce serum triglyceride levels by 30 to 60 percent in patients with type II B and IV hyperlipoproteinemia. Serum cholesterol levels were also reduced by 20 to 25 percent in this group of hypertriglyceridemic patients. A similar reduction in serum cholesterol levels was also found in type II A patients (normal triglyceride levels). Low-density lipoprotein levels were usually reduced in those patients with elevated levels and high-density lipoprotein levels increased when baseline levels were low. Fenofibrate also produced a 10 to 28 percent reduction in uric acid that was sustained for years. The incidence of unwanted effects ranged from 2 to 15 percent in the open trials lasting from a few months up to six years. Gastrointestinal problems (abdominal discomfort, diarrhea, and constipation) are most common, occurring in approximately 5 percent of patients. Reports including fatigue, headache, loss of libido, impotence, dizziness, and insomnia were grouped as neurologic and occurred with a total incidence of 3 to 4 percent. In about 1 percent of patients, muscle tenderness developed, often accompanied by elevated creatine phosphokinase levels. These and the gastrointestinal problems occurred with a similar frequency in the placebo-treated cohort in controlled studies. In approximately 2 percent of patients, a skin rash developed, an incidence that appears significantly higher than that of placebo control groups. Liver changes in rodents have included marked peroxisome proliferation and increased hepatic carcinomas with very high doses. In humans, only a small increase in incidence of elevated levels of serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase and serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase seems to be present and is not clearly different from that of the control groups. Alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl transferase, and bilirubin levels are often decreased with no known undesirable effects. Investigations into the lithogenicity of bile indicated a significant increase in five studies. However, there has been no evidence of a significant rise in the incidence of cholelithiasis in the clinical trials completed to date.
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PMID:Comparative toxicity and safety profile of fenofibrate and other fibric acid derivatives. 331 50

The positive CO2 pneumoperitoneum needed to create the working space for laparoscopic surgery induces cardiovascular, neuroendocrine, and renal changes. Concern about these pathophysiologic changes has led to the introduction of a gasless technique. Fifty consecutive patients with symptomatic gallstones were randomized to conventional (CLC) or gasless laparoscopic cholecystectomy (GLC), with special reference to overall patient satisfaction, technical difficulties, duration of surgery, postoperative pain, and recovery. The overall exposure of the operative field was extremely poor in the GLC group, whereas the duration of surgery, steps involved in the cholecystectomy technique, length of hospital stay, and postoperative pain score did not differ significantly. After discharge, the median time to complete relief of pain tended to be shorter in the gasless group (5 days [range 1 to 15]) vs. the conventional group (8 days [range 1 to 15]). The period to return to normal activity was shorter in the GLC group (6 days [range 1 to 15]) compared to the CLC group (8.5 days [range 1 to 15]) (P = 0.031). No differences were found in terms of fatigue, dizziness and nausea, and overall satisfaction with the outcome. This study demonstrates a significantly shorter convalescence after laparoscopic cholecystectomy by means of the gasless technique compared to the conventional CO2 technique. Exposure of the operative field was less than optimal using the gasless technique.
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PMID:Randomized comparison of conventional and gasless laparoscopic cholecystectomy: operative technique, postoperative course, and recovery. 1136 58

4-Hydroxyandrost-4-ene-3,17-dione (formestane) is a selective aromatase inhibitor. It is indicated for postmenopausal patients with advanced breast cancer. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of 4-hydroxyandrost-4-ene-3,17-dione on the bile secretion and metabolism of 4-(14)C-cholesterol to bile acid. The experiments were carried out in the ovariectomized and sham-operated female Wistar rats. Formestane (20 mg/kg, i.m., daily) was administered to animals for 2 weeks. Twenty four hours after the last drug administration, rats were anesthetized with ethyl urethane. 4-(14)C-cholesterol (740 kBq/kg, s.a. 2.28 GBq/mmol) was infused for 1 min by catheter inserted into the jugular vein. Bile samples were assayed for total 14C radioactivity 14C-bile acids were determined in bile (after thin-layer chromatographic separation) by the use of isotopic technique with liquid scintillator. Previous studies showed that systemic adverse effects occurred in about 12% of patients following intramuscular drug administration. Many of them such as hot flushes, vaginal spotting and emotional lability were related to the mechanism of action of formestane i.e. estrogen suppression. Lethargy, rash, nausea, dizziness, indigestion, ataxia, cramps and facial swelling have also been reported. The results of the present study have shown that formestane administered to the female ovariectomized rats decreased the bile secretion and diminished conversion of 4-(14)C-cholesterol to trihydroxy bile acids. The decreased synthesis of trihydroxy bile acids and increased concentrations of cholesterol and litocholic acid in bile may be associated with increased risk of gallstone formation.
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PMID:Effect of 4-hydroxyandrost-4-ene-3,17-dione (formestane) on the bile secretion and metabolism of 4-(14)C-cholesterol to bile acids. 1638 15

A case is reported of a 72-year-old woman who presented with severe vertigo, vomit, and mild neck and occipital pain. She had a medical history of hypertension, angina pectoris, cholelithiasis, gastric ulcer, pyelonephritis and periodical mild dizziness. Neuroimaging revealed right vertebral artery occlusion, right cerebellar stroke and basilar impression. The therapeutic approach chosen in our patient was conservative, with non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs and neck collar. Although our patient's prior risk factors for stroke supported a diagnosis of vertebrobasilar stroke, it is possible that the vertebral artery occlusion was the result of changes in the atlantoaxial anatomy and that cerebellar infarction was secondary to craniocervical anomaly. Although the presence of vertebral artery occlusion, cerebellar stroke and basilar impression in our patient may have been coincidental, we suggest that patients with basilar impression and craniocervical anomalies in general may be at an increased risk of vertebrobasilar vascular disease and vertebrobasilar stroke.
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PMID:Basilar impression as a possible cause of cerebellar stroke: case report. 2264 89

In previously untreated HIV-1 infection, one first-line therapeutic option is to combine efavirenz, a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor, with tenofovir and emtricitabine. Rilpivirine, another non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor, has been approved in the European Union for the treatment of antiretroviral-naive patients with low viral load. Two double-blind "non-inferiority" trials compared rilpivirine- and efavirenz-based combination therapy in a total of 1368 previously untreated patients. Efficacy was similar with respect to the primary endpoint: 80% of patients had viral load below 50 copies/ml after 48 weeks of treatment. In these trials, combinations containing rilpivirine appeared less effective than those containing efavirenz in patients with high viral load (above 100 000 copies/ml). Overall, the risk of virological failure appeared to be higher with rilpivirine than with efavirenz (20.4% versus 18% after 196 weeks). In addition, the potential for cross-resistance to other non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors in case of virological failure appeared to be higher with rilpivirine than with efavirenz. Compared with the known adverse effect profile of efavirenz, rilpivirine was associated with less rash (17% versus 31%) and dizziness (10% versus 29%). The incidence of depression appeared similar with the two drugs. In contrast, serum creatinine elevation was more frequent with rilpivirine (5% versus < 1%). Gallstones and adrenal insufficiency are also likely to be more frequent with rilpivirine. High doses of rilpivirine prolong the QTc interval. Rilpivirine carries a risk of pharmacokinetic interactions with many other drugs, including inducers and inhibitors of cytochrome P450 isoenzyme CYP3A4, drugs that increase gastric pH, and drugs transported by P-glycoprotein. Rilpivirine also carries a high risk of pharmacodynamic interactions, notably with drugs that prolong the QTc interval. In practice, as rilpivirine has no proven therapeutic advantages, when combination therapy containing a nonnucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor is chosen for previously untreated patients, it is better to continue to use efavirenz, a better-known drug that creates fewer problems in case of treatment failure.
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PMID:Rilpivirine. First-line treatment of HIV infection: efavirenz is better documented. 2321 Feb 55