Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0014848 (achalasia)
 2,804 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

1. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was carried out to determine the efficacy of isosorbide dinitrate (ISD) on dysphagia in patients with Chagasic achalasia. 2. Twenty-three patients with Chagas' disease and dysphagia entered the study and 20 (87%) completed the two 7-day treatment periods. Subjects were given either 5 mg ISD (12 patients) or placebo (11 patients) by the sublingual route for the first 7 days. On the 8th day, patients crossed over and began another 7-day period during which they received the opposite, identical-appearing tablets. 3. Scores attributed by uninformed investigators for the frequency and severity of dysphagia were significantly lower (P less than 0.05) following ISD treatment than after the placebo period or for the pretreatment condition. A significantly higher degree of improvement of dysphagia was experienced by the patients during ISD treatment than during the placebo period. Fourteen patients experienced meal-related headaches during ISD, but not placebo treatment. The extent of improvement in general well-being due to ISD was the same when the drug was given in the first or second test period. 4. Our results indicate that ISD, 5 mg by the sublingual route, is effective in alleviating dysphagia in patients with Chagasic achalasia but its usefulness is limited by the high rate of headache as a side effect.
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PMID:Use of isosorbide dinitrate for the symptomatic treatment of patients with Chagas' disease achalasia. A double-blind, crossover trial. 182 97

Four adolescents with achalasia were treated with nifedipine. All the patients' symptoms improved dramatically. On manometric evaluation, following oral nifedipine, the lower esophageal sphincter pressure decreased approximately 50%. No change in esophageal peristaltic activity was noted. Side effects were minimal; two patients had mild headache initially. Nifedipine, which is commonly used in adult patients with achalasia, may be beneficial for short-term symptomatic relief in children until more definitive therapy can be performed.
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PMID:The use of nifedipine for the treatment of achalasia in children. 379 5

The effect of a long-acting nitrate, isosorbide dinitrate (ID) 5 mg sublingually, on the lower oesophageal sphincter was tested in 24 patients with achalasia. The drug caused a reduction in LOS pressure in all cases. The mean LOS pressure fell from 46.32.7 mmHg to 15.31.8 mmHg (p less than 0.01). The pressure began to drop after several minutes, reaching its lowest levels after 15 minutes. This measured manometric effect lasted for 60 minutes or more in 10 patients studied. The reported clinic effect lasted for two to three hours, permitting the ingestion of a meal. Twenty-three patients were followed clinically for two to 19 months while receiving the drug three times daily before meals. Nineteen reported a marked to complete relief of dysphagia. Five of these patients had previous pneumatic dilatation, cardiomyotomy, or both, and had recurrence at time of study. Side-effect, mainly headache, were reported in eight patients. In six this was alleviated by substituting oral isosorbide dinitrate, 10 mg. Two patients became refractory to treatment after two to six months. The potential role of long-acting nitrates in the treatment of achalasia has yet to be established.
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PMID:Effect of nitrates on LOS pressure in achalasia: a potential therapeutic aid. 723 23

Botulinum toxin is a dreaded biological toxin elaborated by Clostridium botulinum. The action of this toxin is to cause paralysis of both voluntary and involuntary muscles. The unique property of paralysing capability of muscles has been used for the benefit of human beings. Dr Allan Scot, an ophthalmologist, first used the toxin in a patient with squint in 1981 and since then the botulinum toxin is being used in various disorders characterised by muscle overactivity such as spasticity in both children and adult, dystonic conditions such as blepharospasm, cervical dystonia, spasmodic dysphonia, writer's cramp, etc, hemifacial spasm and headache. Its main action is at the terminal nerve endings of myoneural junction and it prevents release of acetylcholine from vesicles thus causing chemical denervation. Its action persists for 3 to 4 months on an average. Its side effects such as drooping, diplopia, dysphagia, depending on the sites of injection, are few and usually transient. Generalised anaphylaxis is almost unknown. Now botulinum toxin is being used in non-neurological conditions where muscles are under spasmodic state such as achalasia cardia, anal fissure, spasm of urethral sphincter, etc. Because of wider safety range and fewer complications, botulinum toxin has been an important therapeutic armamentarium in different branches of medicine and surgery.
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PMID:Botulinum toxin: a dreaded toxin for use in human being. 1245 15