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)

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

Prostacyclin (PGI2) is a bioactive substance produced by vascular endothelial cells, which exerts powerful vasodilative and anti-platelet actions. Patients with pulmonary hypertension have an imbalance between vasodilative PGI2 and vasoconstrictive thromboxane B2 (TXB2). Treatment with vasodilative agents is essential for such patients. Continuous intravenous infusion of PGI2 is an effective treatment of primary pulmonary hypertension in terms of exercise capacity and survival rate. We tested a new stable PGI2 analogue, beraprost sodium (Procyclin, Dornar) suitable for oral administration, in patients with primary and secondary pulmonary hypertension. A short-term study of cardiac catheterization in four patients with primary pulmonary hypertension showed a 15 +/- 12% reduction in mean pulmonary artery pressure in three of the four patients, and a 24 +/- 22% decrease in pulmonary vascular resistance in all four patients. Cardiac index increased by 27 +/- 14% in three of the four patients. Among three patients with secondary pulmonary hypertension, there was a 7% reduction in pulmonary artery pressure in one patient, and a 24 +/- 14% decrease in pulmonary vascular resistance in all three patients. In a long-term study (23 +/- 11 months), NYHA functional class improved from 3.0 +/- 0.7 to 2.4 +/- 0.5 in two of the five patients with primary pulmonary hypertension. Although the radiographic cardiothoracic ratio was not significantly improved, cardiac index increased by 78 +/- 60% in four of the five patients. Only two patients, one with primary and one with secondary pulmonary hypertension, died during the long-term follow-up period. Plasma TXB2/6-keto prostaglandin F1 alpha ratio decreased from 8.1 +/- 8.7 to 1.5 +/- 0.4. The optimal dose remains uncertain, but the initial dosage of 40-60 micrograms/day given in three to four doses for adult patients is considered to be acceptable. Side effects such as flushing face, headache, vomiting, and nausea were mild and resolved when the dose was reduced. Oral PGI2, beraprost, appears to be an effective and possibly adequate substitute for intravenous vasodilators in pulmonary hypertension for both short- and long-term management.
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PMID:[Short- and long-term effects of the new oral prostacyclin analogue, beraprost sodium, in patients with severe pulmonary hypertension]. 864 6

Iloprost is a stable prostacyclin analogue with a pharmacokinetic profile allowing nebulised administration in patients with primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH). Inhaled iloprost is a potent acute pulmonary vasodilator with a duration of action of about 60 minutes. It may exert additional long-term benefit through antiproliferative and antithrombotic effects. Inhaled iloprost 2.5 or 5 microg six or nine times daily for 12 weeks (n = 101) significantly (p < 0.01) improved a combined clinical endpoint of a > or =10% increase in distance walked in 6 minutes and an improvement of > or =1 class in New York Heart Association functional class without clinical deterioration or death (16.8 versus 4.9% of placebo recipients, n = 102) in patients with severe PPH or selected forms of nonprimary pulmonary hypertension. Statistical analysis of the response for the PPH subgroup (20.8 versus 5.5% with placebo; n = 51 and 51) was not reported. Improvements from baseline in exercise capacity and haemodynamic/gas exchange variables have been reported in patients with PPH with continued use of inhaled iloprost. In addition, improvement in preinhalation vascular resistance occurred after 12 weeks of inhaled iloprost (p < 0.01 versus placebo) in a large randomised trial. Increased cough, headache, flushing and an influenza-like syndrome were the most common adverse events in the largest trial of patients receiving inhaled iloprost. Headache, flushing and jaw pain occurred significantly more frequently with inhaled iloprost than with placebo.
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PMID:Inhaled iloprost: in primary pulmonary hypertension. 1502 51