Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0016382 (flushing)
 6,387 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Nicotinic acid (niacin) is a water-soluble vitamin widely used for the treatment of lipid disorders. In pharmacologic doses (1 g or more/day), alone or in combination with other lipid-lowering drugs, nicotinic acid lowers very low-density (VLDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels, while concurrently increasing high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels. It may reduce long-term mortality in patients with known coronary artery disease and may slow or reverse the progression of atherosclerosis. A major consideration against using nicotinic acid is the occurrence of frequent, bothersome, adverse reactions such as cutaneous flushing, skin rash, and gastric upset. Careful dosing titration may, however, minimize these effects. The beneficial effects, taken together with the low cost of nicotinic acid therapy and the relative freedom from serious side effects, have made nicotinic acid the agent of choice for the treatment of many patients with hyperlipidemia.
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PMID:Nicotinic acid: a review of its clinical use in the treatment of lipid disorders. 267 60

The major antihypertensive mechanism of calcium antagonists is by decreasing the systemic vascular resistance, modified by the counter-regulatory responses of the baroreflexes and the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. In severe hypertension, the concept that calcium overload of the vascular myocyte could precipitate or aggravate peripheral vasoconstriction provides a logical basis for the use of these agents as first choice therapy; nifedipine, especially, has been well tested. As monotherapy for mild to moderate hypertension each of the three first-generation agents compares well with beta-blockers. Calcium antagonists may have a special role in the therapy of certain patient groups (elderly, black) or in those subjects whose life style involves intense physical or mental exertion (hemodynamics better maintained than with beta-blockade) or in patients with early end-organ damage such as left ventricular hypertrophy or renal insufficiency. However, the goal blood pressure may not be reached during monotherapy so that drug combinations may be required. Further indications for these compounds are as follows. Verapamil and diltiazem are frequently used in supraventricular tachycardias including acute and chronic atrial fibrillation. In the arrhythmias of the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, there is the potential danger of provocation of anterograde conduction. Further indications for calcium antagonists, still under evaluation, include congestive heart failure (controversial), hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (verapamil), primary pulmonary hypertension (high doses required), Raynaud's phenomenon (nifedipine and diltiazem effective), peripheral vascular disease (proof not yet documented), cerebral insufficiency and subarachnoid hemorrhage (nimodipine promising), migraine, exertional bronchospasm, renal disease, atherosclerosis (experimental), and primary aldosteronism (nifedipine inhibits aldosterone release). Second-generation agents include dihydropyridines, such as nitrendipine, nicardipine, felodipine, amlodipine, nisoldipine, nimodipine, and isradipine. From these will be selected agents that are longer acting and provide higher vascular selectivity. New preparations of existing agents include slow-release formulations of nifedipine, verapamil, and diltiazem. Minor side effects include those caused by vasodilation (flushing and headaches), constipation (verapamil), and ankle edema. Serious side effects are rare and result from improper use of these agents, as when intravenous verapamil is given to patients with sinus or atrioventricular nodal depression from drugs or disease, or nifedipine to patients with aortic stenosis. The potential of a marked negative inotropic effect is usually offset by afterload reduction, especially in the case of nifedipine. Yet caution is required when calcium antagonists, especially verapamil, are given to patients with myocardial failure unless caused by hypertensive heart disease. Drug interactions of calcium antagonists occur with other cardiovascular agents such as alpha-adrenergic blockers, beta-adrenergic blockers, digoxin, quinidine, and disopyramide.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
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PMID:Calcium channel antagonists. Part III: Use and comparative efficacy in hypertension and supraventricular arrhythmias. Minor indications. 315 29

Acipimox, an analogue of nicotinic acid, is a hypolipidemic drug with antilipolytic activity. Ten patients with type III and 10 with type IV hyperlipoproteinemia participated in a comparative open cross-over study of the effect of acipimox (750 mg/day) and clofibrate (2 g/day) on lipoproteins, apoliproproteins and postheparin lipase activities during 6 weeks. During acipimox treatment 2 type III patients complained of flushing, resulting in one drop-out. In the type III patients serum cholesterol decreased 30% (P less than 0.01) during treatment with acipimox and 24% (P less than 0.01) with clofibrate, and serum triglycerides 48% (P less than 0.01) and 34% (P less than 0.01), respectively. In the type IV patients serum cholesterol remained unchanged and serum triglycerides decreased 34% (P less than 0.05) and 35% (P less than 0.01), respectively. HDL cholesterol increased during treatment with both drugs in both groups between 6 and 15% (P less than 0.05) mainly due to a rise in HDL3 cholesterol (d greater than 1.100 g/ml). LDL cholesterol increased significantly during treatment with clofibrate, but not with acipimox. There were no or slight changes in the apoproteins A and B. Postheparin lipoprotein lipase increased during clofibrate treatment and hepatic lipase decreased during acipimox treatment. We concluded that acipimox in a dose of 750 mg/day has a similar hypolipidemic effect as 2 g clofibrate daily in type III and IV hyperlipoproteinemia.
Atherosclerosis 1985 Apr
PMID:A comparative study of the effects of acipimox and clofibrate in type III and type IV hyperlipoproteinemia. 392 65

Forty-six elderly patients (mean age 60 years) suffering from diabetes mellitus (DM), or essential or arteriosclerotic hypertension (HT) were divided into 4 groups. Group 1 served as a control, group 2 was administered 1500 mg niceritrol, group 3 was administered 162 mg acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), and group 4 was administered both 1500 mg niceritrol and 162 mg ASA/day for 8 weeks. Niceritrol lowered serum levels of beta-lipoprotein and total cholesterol and increased HDL cholesterol, usually in 8 weeks. ASA did not affect the lipid-lowering effects of niceritrol. Platelet aggregation induced by epinephrine (1 microgram/ml), collagen (1 microgram/ml), and ADP (2 microM) was depressed in groups 2, 3 and 4. Degrees of depression were higher in groups administered ASA (groups 3 and 4) than in the group administered niceritrol alone (group 2). Plasma fibrinogen levels were lowered in groups administered niceritrol (groups 2 and 4) in 8 weeks. Apparent whole blood viscosity measured at shear rates of 37.6/s and 376/s was improved only in group 4 in 8 weeks, while hematocrit did not change during the study. Because flushing, the most frequent side effect of niceritrol, can be easily controlled by a low dose of ASA, and because the combination of the 2 drugs has some beneficial effects on blood rheology, this combination is considered worthwhile for treatment and prevention of atherosclerosis.
Atherosclerosis 1985 Apr
PMID:The effects on lipids, blood viscosity and platelet aggregation of combined use of niceritrol (Perycit) and a low dose of acetylsalicylic acid. 400 83

Alpha adrenergic receptors localized in blood vessels, heart, and kidneys as well as pre- and post-synaptic membrane are significantly important for controlling blood pressure. The treatment of alpha-adrenoceptor blocking drugs induce vasodilatation subsequently lowering blood pressure. Selective alpha-1 adrenoceptor blocking drugs (alpha-1 blockers) are recommended as a first line treatment of hypertension, because of their desirable effect on lipid and glucose metabolism. alpha-1 blockers decrease in total cholesterol and triglycerides, and increase in HDL-cholesterol. It is suggested that alpha-1 blockers improve insulin tolerance, cardiomegaly and atherosclerosis. Although they have many beneficial effect, we should consider adverse effects (orthostatic hypotension, flushing, etc.).
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PMID:[Alpha-adrenoceptor antagonist (blocker)]. 928 23

Usual risk factors for coronary artery disease account for only 25-50% of increased atherosclerotic risk in diabetes mellitus. Other obvious risk factors are hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia. However, hyperglycemia is a very late stage in the sequence of events from insulin resistance to frank diabetes, whereas lipoprotein abnormalities are manifested during the largely asymptomatic diabetic prodrome and contribute substantially to the increased risk of macrovascular disease. The insulin-resistant diabetes course affects virtually all lipids and lipoproteins. Chylomicron and very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) remnants accumulate, and triglycerides enrich high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL), leading to high levels of potentially atherogenic particles and low levels of HDL cholesterol. Hyperglycemia eventually impairs removal of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins, the accumulation of which accentuates hypertriglyceridemia. As triglycerides increase-still within the so-called normal range-abnormalities in HDL and LDL became more apparent. Thus, when triglycerides are >200 mg/dL, LDL particles are small and dense (when they are <90 mg/dL, the particles are of the large, buoyant variety). The atherogenicity of small, dense LDL particles is attributed to their increased susceptibility to oxidation, but in many patients they may be a marker for insulin resistance or the presence of atherogenic VLDL. Hypertriglyceridemia is associated with atherosclerosis because (1) it is a marker for insulin resistance and atherogenic metabolic abnormalities; and (2) the small size of triglyceride-enriched lipoproteins enables them to infiltrate the blood vessel wall where they are oxidized, bind to receptors on macrophages, and ingested, leading to the development of the atherosclerotic lesion. Various studies (primary prevention with gemfibrozil: Helsinki Heart Study; secondary prevention with simvastatin and pravastatin: Scandinavian Simvastatin Survival Study [4S] and Cholesterol and Recurrent Events [CARE], respectively) have demonstrated that lipid-lowering therapy in type 2 diabetes is effective in decreasing the number of cardiac events. Risk reduction was 22% to 50% (statins) and approximately 65% (fibrate) relative to placebo. It was also noted (in 4S and CARE) that the risk of major coronary events in untreated diabetic patients was 1.5-1.7-fold greater than in untreated nondiabetic patients. Although gemfibrozil (fibric acid derivative) is more effective in decreasing triglycerides and increasing HDL cholesterol in diabetic patients than the statins, it does not change and may even increase LDL-cholesterol levels (fenofibrate may be an exception, decreasing LDL cholesterol by 20-25% in some studies). However, gemfibrozil does increase LDL particle size. Nevertheless, the statins are the current lipid-lowering drugs of choice because the change in LDL-cholesterol-to-HDL-cholesterol ratio is better than with gemfibrozil. Moreover, the diabetic patient may be more likely to benefit from statin therapy than the nondiabetic patient. It should be noted that, in theory, nicotinic acid can correct or improve all lipid or lipoprotein abnormalities in patients with type 2 diabetes. Unfortunately, it is relatively contraindicated because it causes insulin resistance and may precipitate or aggravate hyperglycemia (in addition to its other well-known side effects such as flushing, gastric irritation, development of hepatotoxicity, and hyperuricemia). It is unknown at present whether newer formulations such as once-daily Niaspan may be better tolerated in diabetes. In any case, most patients with type 2 diabetes have risk factors for coronary artery disease and qualify for aggressive LDL cholesterol-lowering therapy. At the same time, it is presently unknown whether improved glycemic control decreases coronary artery disease risk in such patients.
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PMID:Diabetic dyslipidemia. 991 65

Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] is one important cause of atherosclerosis. It consists of one molecule of low density lipoprotein and an additional molecule of apo(a) linked to apoB-100 by a disulfide bridge. Apo(a)s are partially homologous to plasminogen, with one kringle 5 and 10-40 repeats of kringle 4. As there is no drug therapy available, we treated three patients who had suffered from at least one myocardial infarction and had Lp(a) as the only risk factor for atherosclerosis. Since October 1992, 186 immunoadsorption treatments have been carried out weekly with Sepharose-coupled anti-Lp(a)-columns. To achieve a reduction in Lp(a) from 78-250 mg/dL before apheresis to below 25 mg/dL immediately after apheresis, patient plasma volume had to be treated two to three times. Treatments lasted 3-5 h. Immediately reversible side-effects such as flushing and tachycardia during the first treatment were seen in 9% of immunoadsorptions. Non-specific protein loss remained tolerable, if one takes into account that the patients received approximately 1 L of ACDB with heparin as anticoagulant and some of the column-rinsing buffer. One patient's clinical condition and exercise test improved dramatically as did coronary angiography after 2 years. Another patient had no change after 1 year, the third patient showed subjective improvement and has not yet had repeat angiography after 1 year of treatment. We conclude that Lp(a)-apheresis may retard progression of atherosclerosis in patients with selective Lp(a) elevation. Further studies to support this hypothesis are needed.
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PMID:Lipoprotein(a)-apheresis in the secondary prevention of coronary heart disease. 1016 48

The high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-Atherosclerosis Treatment Study showed that simvastatin plus niacin (mean daily dose 13 mg and 2.4 g, respectively) halt angiographic atherosclerosis progression and reduce major clinical events by 60% in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) who have low HDL, in comparison with placebos, over 3 years. How safe and well-tolerated is this combination? One hundred sixty patients with CAD, including 25 with diabetes mellitus, with mean low-density lipoprotein cholesterol of 128 mg/dl, HDL cholesterol of < or =35 mg/dl (mean 31), and mean triglycerides of 217 mg/dl were randomized to 4 factorial combinations of antioxidant vitamins or their placebos and simvastatin plus niacin or their placebos. Patients were examined monthly or bimonthly for 38 months; side effects (gastrointestinal upset, nausea, anorexia, vision, skin, and energy problems, or muscle aches) were directly queried and recorded. Aspartate aminotransferase, creatine phosphokinase (CPK), uric acid, homocysteine, and fasting glucose levels were regularly monitored. A safety monitor reviewed all side effects and adjusted drug dosages accordingly. Patients who received simvastatin plus niacin and those on placebo had similar frequencies of clinical or laboratory side effects: any degree of flushing (30% vs 23%, p = NS), symptoms of fatigue, nausea, and/or muscle aches (9% vs 5%, p = NS), aspartate aminotransferase (SGOT) > or =3 times upper limit of normal (3% vs 1%, p = NS), CPK > or =2 times upper limit of normal (3% vs 4%, p = NS), CPK > or =5 times upper limit of normal, new onset of uric acid > or =7.5 mg/dl (18% vs 15%, p = NS), and homocysteine > or =15 micromol/L (9% vs 4%, p = NS). Glycemic control among diabetics declined mildly in the simvastatin-niacin group but returned to pretreatment levels at 8 months and remained stable for rest of the study. This combination regimen was repeatedly described by 91% of treated patients and 86% of placebo subjects as "very easy" or "fairly easy" to take. Thus, the simvastatin plus niacin regimen is effective, safe, and well tolerated in patients with or without diabetes mellitus.
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PMID:Safety and tolerability of simvastatin plus niacin in patients with coronary artery disease and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (The HDL Atherosclerosis Treatment Study). 1475 79

We reviewed the literature related to the effects of high-dose zinc in arteriosclerosis-induced angina pectoris. Lipid peroxidation and LDL oxidation are believed to be critical for arteriosclerosis, and consequently angina pectoris. Administration of biologically available zinc was a beneficial treatment in a significant percentage of patients with severely symptomatic, inoperable atherosclerotic disease. In these patients, there was no difference in zinc concentration between patients with and without atherosclerosis in whole blood, erythocytes or hair, but there was a major difference between normal aorta and diseased aortas (40.6 ppm zinc in normal aorta vs. 23.2 ppm zinc in atherosclerotic aorta, 40.6 ppm zinc in normal aorta vs. 19.4 ppm zinc in atherosclerotic aneurysm aorta, and no difference between normal and aneurysm aorta), although copper was low in aneurysm aorta. Medication with high-dose zinc sulfate to raise zinc serum concentrations from 95 to 177 microg/dl resulted in objective improvement in 12 of 16 of these patients, including a patient that also had Raynaud's disease. Long term environmental exposure to zinc resulted in a 40% reduction in the incidence of angina of effort compared to people not exposed to environmental zinc (P<0.01) and a 40% reduction in the incidence of probable ischemia in exercise (P<0.001). Lead had no effect while cadmium exposure resulted in more than tripling the incidence of angina of effort (P<0.001). The antioxidative action of zinc prevents oxidation of LDL cholesterol and consequently stops the main mechanism of atherogenesis. Zinc blocks calcium and its several actions on atherogenesis. Increased amounts of cytotoxic cytokines such as TNF-alpha, IL-beta and IL-8, often produced in the elderly, are blocked by high-dose zinc. We hypothesize that higher serum concentrations of LDL cholesterol resulting from administration of 300 mg of zinc per day is caused by a release of low density cholesterol from cardiovascular tissues, beneficially flushing it into the serum where it is readily observed, thus decreasing arteriosclerosis, increasing circulation, terminating angina pectoris and restoring more youthful cardiac function. Although prevention of cholesterol-induced arteriosclerosis by zinc is predicted from findings related to oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation, removal of LDL might be attributable to action of ionic zinc on ICAM inhibition. In stark contrast to current practice, high-dose zinc should be considered as basic in the strategy of prophylaxis and therapy of the atherosclerosis process to terminate angina pectoris and restore youthful cardiac function.
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PMID:High-dose zinc to terminate angina pectoris: a review and hypothesis for action by ICAM inhibition. 1608 66

Prolonged-release (PR) nicotinic acid (niacin) [Niaspan] is an oral, once-daily formulation of the lipid-modifying drug designed to produce less vasodilatory flushing than crystalline immediate-release (IR) nicotinic acid and less hepatotoxicity than previous sustained-release formulations of nicotinic acid.PR nicotinic acid appears to retain the same level of efficacy as crystalline IR nicotinic acid and be better tolerated than older nicotinic acid formulations. Nicotinic acid has beneficial effects on all traditional blood lipid and lipoprotein fractions and is the most effective agent for increasing high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol (HDL-C) and reducing lipoprotein(a). The effects of PR nicotinic acid are often additive when used in combination with HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins), making it a useful addition when lipid goals are not achieved with the usual statin monotherapy or when additional correction of a specific lipid abnormality is required. PR nicotinic acid also slows atherosclerotic progression and even appears to produce regression of atherosclerosis in patients on stable statin therapy. PR nicotinic acid is a logical drug choice for treating atherogenic dyslipidaemia commonly associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus and the metabolic syndrome, and has been shown to be effective in patients with diabetes without adversely affecting glycaemic control in the majority of patients. The incidence of vasodilatory flushing with PR nicotinic acid is lower than with IR nicotinic acid and it decreases substantially over time as tolerance develops. To date, there has been no clinically significant hepatotoxicity observed with PR nicotinic acid. Therefore, once-daily PR nicotinic acid appears to maximise the potential benefits of nicotinic acid, while minimising any historical tolerability or safety concerns.
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PMID:Prolonged-release nicotinic acid: a review of its use in the treatment of dyslipidaemia. 1639 85


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