Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0015672 (fatigue)
 51,768 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Torasemide is a lipophilic anilinopyridine sulphonylurea derivative that acts as a high ceiling loop diuretic and has been used for the treatment of both acute and chronic congestive heart failure (CHF) and hypertension. Torasemide is similar to other loop diuretics in terms of its mechanism of diuretic action; namely, blockade of Na+/K+/2Cl- cotransport in the thick ascending limb of the loop of Henle. It has high bioavailability (> 80%), as does bumetanide, but a longer elimination half-life (3 to 4 hours) than either bumetanide or furosemide (frusemide). In the treatment of chronic CHF, oral torasemide (5 to 20 mg/day) has been shown to be an effective diuretic. Patients treated with torasemide for up to 1 year have reduced bodyweight, improved pulmonary haemodynamics, and decreased CHF severity. Intravenous torasemide (20 to 60mg as a single dose) has been shown to be as effective as furosemide in the treatment of acute CHF, and resulted in significant diuresis, bodyweight loss, and improved pulmonary haemodynamics and exercise performance. 'Non-diuretic' dosages (2.5 to 5 mg/day) of oral torasemide have been used to treat essential hypertension, both as monotherapy and in combination with other antihypertensive agents. When used in these dosages, torasemide lowered diastolic blood pressure (DBP) to below 90mm Hg in 8 to 12 weeks in 70 to 80% of patients. With dose doubling, this level of efficacy occurred in more than 90% of hypertensive patients. Clinical trials have established that blood pressure can be maintained at this level for at least 1 year with low dose torasemide. Torasemide is well tolerated in dosages up to 20 mg/day for at least 1 year. The most commonly reported adverse effects are those associated with loop diuretics in general. These include transient hypokalaemia, hyperuricaemia, dizziness, headache, gastrointestinal disturbances, orthostatic hypotension and fatigue. Adverse effects are comparable with those of other diuretics and rarely necessitate drug withdrawal.
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PMID:Benefits and risks of torasemide in congestive heart failure and essential hypertension. 885 25

Hereditary hemochromatosis is an autosomal recessive disorder, the gene for which occurs in approximately 10% of Americans, most of whom are unaffected heterozygotes. Approximately 5/1000 white Americans are homozygous and at risk of developing severe and potentially lethal hemochromatosis. The disorder affects numerous organ systems, but the most common symptoms are fatigue, palpitations, joint pains, and impotence; the most common signs are those that relate to hypothalamic, cardiac, hepatic or pancreatic dysfunction, including poor cold tolerance, impotence in males, amenorrhea in females, cardiac arrhythmias, dyspnea, edema, hepatosplenomegaly, spider telangiectases, ascites, deformity, swelling or limitation of motion of joints, weight loss, hyperpigmentation. Characteristic abnormalities of laboratory tests include elevated serum iron concentration, high transferrin saturation, elevated serum ferritin concentration, elevated serum transaminases, hyperglycemia and low values for thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and gonadotropins. Death may be the result of cardiac arrhythmia, congestive heart failure, liver failure or liver cancer. Since many of these complications cannot be reversed once they have developed, early diagnosis and treatment are essential. In view of the high prevalence in the American population (prevalence varies with ethnic background), the low cost of diagnosis and treatment, the efficacy of treatment if begun early, and, on the other hand, high costs and low success rate of late diagnosis and treatment, systematic screening for hemochromatosis is warranted for all persons over the age of 20 years. The initial screening should be by measurement of serum iron concentration and transferrin saturation. The practice guideline provides a diagnostic algorithm for cases in which the serum transferrin saturation is 60% or greater. It also provides guidelines for clinical management.
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PMID:Practice guideline development task force of the College of American Pathologists. Hereditary hemochromatosis. 886 84

Congestive heart failure is often associated with skeletal muscle abnormalities that contribute to early fatigue and acidosis. Up to the present time, however, the mechanisms responsible for these changes are unclear. Myocardial infarctions were produced by coronary ligation in adult Sprague-Dawley rats. At 20 weeks, 10 control rats, and 15 animals with heart failure [defined by elevated LVEDP (26.1 +/- 3.1 v 2.5 +/- 0.5 mmHg) and RV hypertrophy (300 +/- 21 g v 158 +/- 9 mg)] underwent in vivo measurements of total body, and soleus total protein and myosin heavy chain (MHC) synthesis by [3H]leucine constant infusion. Soleus muscle was also analysed for protein content, and MHC isoenzyme content by SDS-PAGE. Northern blotting also was used to determine levels of the mRNA's encoding type I, IIa, IIb, and IIx MHC, alpha-skeletal actin, COX III, SDH and GAPDH. Soleus muscles in heart failure rats were smaller than controls (112 +/- 6 v 126 +/- 5 mg) and the degree of atrophy was significant when corrected for body mass (0.38 +/- 0.02 v 0.46 +/- 0.02 mg/g. P = 0.007). Although there was no significant difference in plasma leucine flux (an index of whole-body protein synthesis), soleus muscle total and MHC synthesis was reduced in heart failure animals. Whereas the Type I MHC isoenzyme (beta MHC) was the only MHC detected in the soleus of control animals, type II MHC isoenzyme comprised 11.8 +/- 3.1% of the MHC in the heart failure group. Furthermore, steady-state mRNA levels encoding beta MHC were significantly depressed in the heart failure rats, where those encoding Types IIb and IIx MHC were increased. Steady-state mRNA levels of alpha-skeletal actin, cytochrome C oxidase (COX III) and succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) were also significantly depressed. This animal model of chronic heart failure is associated with quantitative and qualitative alterations in skeletal muscle gene expression that are similar to those reported in skeletal muscle of patients with chronic heart failure. The altered phenotype and impaired metabolic capacity may contribute to exercise intolerance in CHF.
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PMID:Alterations in skeletal muscle gene expression in the rat with chronic congestive heart failure. 887 78

It is well-established that in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF), exercise is limited by fatigue and shortness of breath. The poor correlation between the fatigue and indices of central haemodynamic function might indicate that peripheral muscle alterations contribute to impaired exercise capacity. Intrinsic abnormalities of the skeletal muscles have been suggested as a possible explanation. Since the shortness of breath correlates poorly with changes in lung function, changes in the respiratory muscles have been investigated. Studies have demonstrated diaphragmatic myopathy and atrophy similar, in part, to the changes in peripheral skeletal muscles. In CHF, type I (slow twitch) fibre atrophy is seen in respiratory as well as in peripheral muscles. The mechanism of these alterations remains to be elucidated. Studies into the mechanism of muscle dysfunction in congestive heart failure are relevant to the prospect of treatment of the changes in peripheral and respiratory muscles.
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PMID:Peripheral and respiratory muscles in chronic heart failure. 890 83

Previous exercise training studies in patients with chronic congestive heart failure (CHF) were performed for periods lasting > 2 months, and effects of activity restriction on exercise induced-benefits were not systematically assessed. With one exception study, patients were not reported to be transplant candidates. In this random-order crossover study, effects of 3 weeks of exercise training and 3 weeks of activity restriction on functional capacity in 18 hospitalized patients with severe CHF [(mean +/- SEM) age 52 +/- 2 years; ejection fraction 21 +/- 1%; half of them on a transplant waiting list] were assessed. The training program consisted of interval exercise with bicycle ergometer (15 minutes) 5 times weekly, interval treadmill walking (10 minutes), and exercises (20 minutes), each 3 times weekly. With training, the onset of ventilatory threshold was delayed (p < 0.001), with increased work rate by 57% (p < 0.001) and oxygen uptake by 23.7% (p < 0.001). On average, there was a 14.6% decrease in slope of ventilation/carbon dioxide production before the onset of ventilatory threshold (p < 0.05), and ventilatory equivalent of carbon dioxide production by 10.3% (p < 0.01). At the highest comparable work rate (56 +/- 5 W) the following variables were decreased: heart rate (7.3%; p < 0.05), lactate (26.6%; p < 0.001), and ratings of perceived leg fatigue and dyspnea (14.5% and 16.5%; p < 0.001 each). At peak exercise, oxygen uptake was increased by 19.7% (p < 0.01) and oxygen pulse by 14.2% (p < 0.01). There was a correlation of baseline peak oxygen uptake and increase of peak oxygen uptake due to training (r = -0.75; p < 0.004). Independently of the random order, data after activity restriction did not differ significantly from data measured at baseline. Patients with stable, severe CHF can achieve significant improvements in aerobic and ventilatory capacity and symptomology by short-term exercise training using interval exercise methods. Impairments due to activity restriction suggest the need for long-term exercise training.
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PMID:Effects of short-term exercise training and activity restriction on functional capacity in patients with severe chronic congestive heart failure. 891 81

Haemodialysis is frequently complicated by side-effects both during and after treatment. Hypotension and muscle cramps have been attributed to depletion of intravascular volume; headache and fatigue have been attributed to rapid changes in intracellular and extracellular osmolality. An evidence-based systematic review of the English language literature was used to evaluate these hypotheses. Four studies have addressed the morbidity associated with changes in intravascular volume. These data suggest that during haemodialysis the vascular space is refilled from the interstitial space. Overhydrated patients are less likely to experience hypotension than are dehydrated patients, perhaps at the risk of congestive heart failure and hypertension. Intradialytic changes in haematocrit reflect changes in vascular volume and may be used to predict intradialytic hypotension. Eight studies have addressed the morbidity associated with changes in osmolality. In two of these studies the investigators reported clinical benefit for patients with patient-specific sodium profiles during dialysis. Four studies lacked sufficient statistical power to detect an effect of sodium profiling on patient symptoms. Two studies suggest a clinically important decrease in intradialytic symptoms during treatment with sodium-profiled dialysate. A definitive test of these hypotheses will require a randomized, blinded study of the clinical impact of sodium/ultrafiltration modelling on patient symptoms.
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PMID:Sodium and water profiling in chronic uraemia. 904 39

Patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) are an extensive group in Sweden both with regard to prevalence and number of medical care events. As the age of the population and survival after myocardial infarction are increasing, the incidence of CHF is also on the rise. The aim of this study is to describe, from a nurse's perspective, how male patients with CHF conceive their life situation. Interview questions were designed with a focus on five dimensions: the biophysical, the sociocultural, the emotional, the intellectual, and the spiritual-existential. A qualitative method was used with a phenomenographic approach as it examines aspects of the surroundings as conceived. In the results, six categories emerged: feeling a belief in the future, gaining awareness, feeling support from the environment, feeling limitation, feeling a lack of energy and feeling resignation. The mental and physical lack of energy which patients feel easily leads to limited working capacity and social activities. This limitation may cause patients with CHF to believe that neither they nor their environment can influence their life situation and there is a risk that these patients become resigned. In order to help them get out of this vicious circle of limitation and resignation, it is important that the nurse teaches them self-care and shows them the possibilities that exist in everyday life. With increased awareness of their life situation, patients may adapt to their CHF and see that it is possible to improve their future themselves.
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PMID:Male patients with congestive heart failure and their conception of the life situation. 908 Feb 86

It has been shown that the elderly, and certain other groups, may have atypical clinical presentations of acute MI. It is important for the clinician to educate patients about the common atypical symptoms that may be experienced with an MI, such as dyspnea, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and syncope. The clinician must always rule out acute MI in any patient who presents with these symptoms, or who presents with falls, sudden weakness, or worsening CHF. In order to treat patients aggressively and with the greatest benefit (i.e. thrombolytics or other reperfusion therapy), we must teach our patients and ourselves to recognize "silent" MIs. This will decrease the morbidity and mortality rates of acute MI in the elderly.
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PMID:Atypical chest pain in the elderly. 917 31

Among patients with heart failure who survive an admission to the hospital, those who are readmitted or die soon after discharge may warrant special attention. Therefore, we prospectively followed 257 patients admitted nonelectively to an urban university hospital, with a complaint of shortness of breath or fatigue and evidence of congestive heart failure on admission chest radiograph, who were discharged alive. Through survey of patients and families, review of the hospital computer system, and a search of the National Death Index, we recorded death and hospital readmission. Within 60 days of discharge, 13 patients (5%) died and 82 (32%) died or were readmitted to the hospital. Using Cox proportional-hazards modeling, the multivariable correlates of readmission or death were single marital status (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 2.1, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.3 to 3.3), Charlson Comorbidity Index score (HR 1.3 per point to maximum 4 points, 95% CI 1.1 to 1.6), admission systolic blood pressure of < or = 100 mm Hg (HR 2.8, 95% CI 1.6 to 5.0), and absence of new ST-T-wave changes on the initial electrocardiogram (HR 1.9, 95% CI 1.1 to 3.3). Self-reported patient compliance and clinical instability at discharge were not correlates. Almost all patients stratified by these factors had at least a 25% risk of readmission or death. Our independent correlates of readmission or death support the importance of both medical and social factors in the pathway to clinical decline. However, we could not reliably identify a truly low-risk group. Interventions to decrease early readmission or death among patients with heart failure should target both medical management and the adequacy of social support, and probably need to be applied to all admitted patients.
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PMID:Correlates of early hospital readmission or death in patients with congestive heart failure. 920 55

Mechanical ventilation via a tracheal tube is an invasive measure whose complications may prevent recovery from respiratory failure. Today, noninvasive positive pressure ventilation via mouthpiece or mask is an economically and medically successful alternative for the treatment of chronic respiratory failure and acute exacerbation of COPD, respectively. Within certain limits, noninvasive ventilation may take over inspiratory work of breathing as well as elevate mean airway pressure and inspiratory oxygen concentration. This does not at all question the absolute indications to maintain a patent airway by tracheal intubation. Clinical applications of noninvasive ventilation within these limits are acute exacerbation of COPD, congestive heart failure with pulmonary edema or atelectasis. Respiratory muscle fatigue, cardiogenic and septic shock, severe pneumonia and ARDS are still absolute indications for invasive ventilation. Table 1 specifies 12 disadvantages and endpoints of noninvasive mechanical ventilation.
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PMID:[Contra: noninvasive ventilation in acute respiratory insufficiency]. 923 64


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