Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0018681 (headache)
 56,091 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Nitroglycerin and the long-acting nitrates are effective antianginal agents that have been used in clinical medicine for over 100 years. These drugs are reliable, safe, familiar to clinicians, inexpensive, and easy to use. Side effects are limited to headache and postural hypotensive symptoms. Nitrate tolerance or attenuation, -ie, loss of, or decrease in, nitrate efficacy with repeated dosing-is common and represents the major drawback to chronic therapy. Carefully designed dosing regimens and/or appropriate use of nitrate formulations (to include a nitrate-free period each day) will decrease or eliminate the problem of nitrate tolerance. In head-on comparative studies, nitrates appear to be as effective as beta-blockers or calcium channel blockers in the monotherapy of chronic angina. Ideal patient characteristics for nitrate therapy include: predictably favourable response of chest pain to sublingual nitroglycerin; angina episodes suggestive of coronary vaso-constriction or spasm; left ventricular systolic dysfunction; symptoms of congestive heart failure (systolic or diastolic dysfunction).
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PMID:Therapy of angina pectoris with long-acting nitrates: which agent and when? 863 22

In 15 centres of the Czech Republic the antihypertensive effect of Amlodipine-Norvasc of Pfizer Co. was tested in 155 patients with mild or medium severe hypertension. The patients were treated by monotherapy, using doses of 5 mg (92%) and 10 mg (8%) per day. In all investigated hypertensive subjects a statistically significant decline of the systolic and diastolic blood pressure occurred in the course of the 12-week investigation (P smaller than 0.01) without affecting the heart rate. The rate of undesirable effects of treatment was very low: only three patients (1.9%) discontinued treatment on account of undesirable effects. The most frequent ones included perimalleolar oedema, the sensation of fullness, headache, cardiac palpitations, vertigo and insomnia. Evaluation of the antihypertensive effectiveness and tolerance of the preparation by the physician and patient is positive, and Amlodipine-Norvasc of Pfizer Co. holds therefore, because of its pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties, an important place among calcium channel inhibitors of the second generation.
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PMID:[Personal clinical experience in the treatment of arterial hypertension using amlodipine]. 868 1

The efficacy and safety of trandolapril alone and in combination with a calcium channel blocker were evaluated in 13,147 hypertensive patients over 60 years old. Two patient groups were constituted. After a 2-week wash-out period, the patients in group I received monotherapy with trandolapril 2 mg/day for 4 weeks. Trandolapril was continued for another 4 weeks in responding patient, otherwise the dosage of trandolapril was doubled or another antihypertensive was added. Group 2, composed of patients previously treated with a calcium channel blocker with insufficient efficacy, was treated according to the same treatment regimen, but the calcium channel blocker was maintained throughout the study. 13,147 patients (group 1: 11,329 patients, group 2: 1,818 patients) with a mean age of 68 +/- 7 years were followed. After 4 weeks of treatment, the blood pressure measured by mercury sphygmomanometer decreased from 176 + 11/99 +/- 8 mmHg to 164 +/- 12/87 +/- 7 mmHg (p < 0.0001). This blood pressure fall was similar in group 1 (-22 +/- 12/-12 +/- 8 mmHg) and in group 2 (-21 +/- 11/-12 +/- 8 mmHg). In the pure systolic HT subgroup treated by trandolapril monotherapy, the antihypertensive effect predominantly affected the SBP (-23 +/- 12/- 4 +/- 6 mmHg). The antihypertensive effect was correlated with the initial blood pressure. In group 1, in the case of insufficient response to trandolapril monotherapy, the addition of a calcium channel blocker was the strategy which achieved the most marked antihypertensive effect (ANOVA, p < 0.0001). This bitherapy was more effective than the trandolapril+diuretic combination (-18 +/- 11/- 11 +/- 8 mmHg and -15 +/- 10/- 9 +/- 7 mmHg, respectively (p < 0.001). A total of 1,270 adverse events were reported by 996 patients (7.6%), leading to discontinuation of treatment in 372 patients (2.8%). The most frequent adverse effects were cough (2.8%), headache (0.8%), vertigo (0.8%) and nausea (0.5%). Only one minor equivalent of angioneurotic oedema was reported. In conclusion, trandolapril is effective and well tolerated in elderly hypertensive patients. In the case of pure systolic HTA, its action is essentially exerted on SBP. The combination of trandolapril+calcium channel blocker appears to be the most effective strategy in the case of incomplete blood pressure control by trandolapril alone.
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PMID:[Evaluation of trandolapril alone or in combination with a calcium channel blocker in hypertensive patients over 60 years of age]. 874 62

Migraine, an episodic headache disorder, is one of the most common complaints encountered by primary-care physicians and neurologists. Nevertheless, it remains underdiagnosed and undertreated. Rational migraine treatment necessitates an accurate diagnosis, identification and removal of potential triggering factors, and, frequently, pharmacologic intervention. Effective management also includes establishing realistic expectations, patient reassurance, and education. The choice of medication (abortive, symptomatic) for an acute attack depends on such factors as the severity of the attack, presence or absence of vomiting, time of onset to peak pain, rate of bioavailability of the drug, comorbid medical conditions, and side-effect profile. Effective agents for acute attacks include simple or combination analgesics, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, ergot derivatives, selective serotonin agonists, and antiemetics. Opioid analgesics are unnecessary for most patients. The choice of preventive (prophylactic, interval) medication depends primarily on comorbid medical conditions and side-effect profile. Useful preventive agents include beta-adrenergic blockers, calcium channel blockers, tricyclic antidepressants, anticonvulsant medications, and serotonin antagonists.
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PMID:An overview of the diagnosis and pharmacologic treatment of migraine. 891 90

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) is the new name for entities formerly known mostly as Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy and Causalgia. Treatment of CRPS with either the calcium channel blocker nifedipine or the alpha-sympathetic blocker phenoxybenzamine was assessed in 59 patients, 12 with early stages of CRPS, 47 with chronic stage CRPS. In the early stage CRPS patients, 3 of 5 were cured with nifedipine and 8 of 9 (2 of whom had earlier received nifedipine) with phenoxybenzamine, for a cure rate of 92% (11 out of 12). In the chronic stage CRPS patients, 10 of 30 were cured with nifedipine; phenoxybenzamine cured 7 of 17 patients when administered as a first choice and another 2 of 7 patients who received nifedipine earlier, for a total late stage success rate of 40% (19 out of 47). The most common side effects necessitating discontinuing the drug were headaches for nifedipine and orthostatic dizziness, nausea and diarrhoea for phenoxybenzamine. All male patients on phenoxybenzamine experienced impotence, but this did not lead to discontinuing this agent and immediately disappeared after stopping the drug. These results once again stress the importance of early recognition of CRPS, and treatment with either of these drugs could be considered as a first choice for early CRPS, especially because in this series this treatment was not combined with physical therapy making it very cost-effective. In the chronic stage of CRPS, treatment with these drugs was much less successful (40%), even though it was always combined with physical therapy, but it can still be considered, either as a first choice or when other types of treatment have failed.
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PMID:Complex regional pain syndrome (reflex sympathetic dystrophy and causalgia): management with the calcium channel blocker nifedipine and/or the alpha-sympathetic blocker phenoxybenzamine in 59 patients. 910 64

Primary Raynaud's phenomenon is common, particularly in younger women, and may be familial. Vasospasm is not confined to the digits and may involve, for example, the tongue and nose, and also visceral organs like the heart, oesophagus or lung and cerebral circulation. Symptoms tend to be milder in primary compared with secondary Raynaud's phenomenon, which is associated with other disorders such as the connective tissue diseases. Indeed, the severity of symptoms often acts as the predictor for the much later onset of the associated systemic disease. Occupational Raynaud's phenomenon is related to the use of vibrating instruments, and a significant proportion of patients may be cured by an early change in job. In those over 60 years of age, Raynaud's phenomenon is commonly a result of atherosclerotic obstructive arterial disease, and screening for and treatment of the risk factors is appropriate. The best-studied mechanisms in Raynaud's phenomenon involve the blood and vascular endothelium. Microcirculatory flow may be impeded by activated platelet clumps, rigid red and white blood cells and damaged endothelium. These platelet clumps, white blood cells and damaged endothelium also release vasoactive/vasoconstrictive compounds which may additionally trigger the clotting cascade and thrombosis. Initial management for mild disease should focus on support and advice regarding avoidance of known precipitating factors, including vasospastic drugs. Cold protection with warming agents, 'Abel' shoes and also electrically heated gloves and socks is effective, but may be too cumbersome and inconvenient for some patients. Simple vasodilators like naftidrofuryl, inositol nicotinate and possibly pentoxifylline (oxpentifylline) are useful in mild disease, with adverse effects like headache and flushing being less problematic. The 'gold standard' of Raynaud's phenomenon treatment is nifedipine, a calcium channel antagonist/blocker. Full dosage, however, can be limited by ankle swelling, headache and flushing, but adverse effects may be reduced by using the 'retard' or long-acting preparations. Adverse effects are also reduced with the newer calcium channel antagonists like diltiazem but at the expense of efficacy. Useful, enhanced benefit is also achieved by combination therapy with vasodilators. Newer treatments include the prostaglandin analogues which are effective but disadvantaged by their parenteral route of administration, and lack of licence in some countries. Oral preparations are, however, being studied and are in the pipeline. Essential fatty acid supplementation is mildly effective, while ketanserin and calcitonin gene-related peptide both look promising. Lumbar sympathectomy retains its important role in the treatment of Raynaud's phenomenon involving the lower limbs. Satisfactory symptomatic relief is now possible for many patients with Raynaud's phenomenon and this should certainly be the aim for all patients seeking medical help.
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PMID:Pharmacotherapy of Raynaud's phenomenon. 911 18

Nisoldipine is a second-generation dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker (CCB). It is the most vascular selective of the currently available CCBs, and thus has the capacity to lower blood pressure without affecting the functioning of the myocardium and skeletal muscle, and without producing any negative inotropic effects. Nisoldipine coat core (CC) is an extended-release formulation that allows nisoldipine to be released gradually over 24 hours, minimizing fluctuations in plasma concentration and providing a good trough/peak ratio. It has a slow onset and long duration of action, and ambulatory blood pressure monitoring has demonstrated that its antihypertensive effect is maintained over 24 hours with no evidence of reflex tachycardia, hypotension, or sympathetic neurohormonal activation and no effects on circadian variation. Studies in patients with hypertension have shown that nisoldipine CC provides reductions in blood pressure that are at least equivalent to those seen with diuretics, beta-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, and other CCBs, without deleterious effects on metabolic parameters. In particular, it has been found to be effective in elderly patients and in black patients with severe hypertension. The DEFIANT studies have demonstrated that nisoldipine CC improves cardiac function and exercise tolerance in patients recovering from acute myocardial infarction, without increasing the risk of mortality compared with placebo. It also improves exercise performance in patients with stable angina pectoris. Nisoldipine CC is well tolerated in all groups of patients, with the most frequently reported side effects being headache and peripheral edema, which are usually mild and transient.
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PMID:Nisoldipine CC: efficacy and tolerability in hypertension and ischemic heart disease. 912 76

The pharmacologic treatment of migraine may be acute (abortive, symptomatic) or preventive (prophylactic). Most migraine preventive medications were designed to treat other disorders (e.g., propranolol for hypertension, valproate for epilepsy, etc.). Preventive medication is usually given daily for months or years; however, treatment can be episodic, subacute, or chronic. The medications can be divided into two major categories: (i) Alternatives of high efficacy, which include beta-blockers, tricyclic antidepressants, and divalproex, and of lower efficacy, which include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, calcium channel antagonists, and non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs, and (ii) second-line choices of high efficacy, which include methysergide and monoamine oxidase inhibitors. The choice of preventive treatment depends on the individual drug's efficacy and side effects, the patient's wants, needs, and response to prior treatment, and the presence of any comorbid or coexistent disease.
Cephalalgia 1997 Apr
PMID:Preventive treatment of migraine: an overview. 913 40

The safety and tolerability of mibefradil, a selective T-type calcium channel antagonist, were evaluated in 3,430 patients with essential hypertension and chronic stable angina pectoris treated in 15 double-blind placebo and active-controlled clinical trials and 2 open-label, long-term safety studies. Of these patients, 2,636 were treated with the recommended doses of mibefradil (50 and 100 mg) and form the basis of this report. With the 50-mg dose of mibefradil, the incidence of each adverse event was similar to, or lower than, that observed in the placebo-treated patients. Treatment with the 100-mg dose was associated with a slightly higher incidence compared to placebo of dizziness (2.1% vs 1.8%), leg edema (3.5% vs 1.4%), fatigue (2.1% vs 1.4%), and lightheadedness (2.1% vs 0.4%). The incidence of headache (4.6%) and angina pectoris (1.1%) was more frequent in patients treated with placebo. In active-controlled trials, a lower incidence of pedal edema (5.1%) was observed with mibefradil compared to amlodipine (25.7%), diltiazem SR/CD (9.4%), or nifedipine SR/GITS (17.4%). Overall, mibefradil was better tolerated than amlodipine and nifedipine SR/GITS and was as well tolerated as diltiazem SR/CD. Rates of premature discontinuation due to clinically adverse experiences with the 50- and 100-mg doses were 2.5% and 3.5%, respectively, compared with placebo (3.5%). No consistent pattern of laboratory adverse experiences were observed for mibefradil. Sinus bradycardia (heart rate <45 beats/minute) and first-degree atrioventricular block were the only relevant treatment-emergent electrocardiographic changes that occurred more frequently with mibefradil than with placebo. No evidence of first-dose effects was observed in mibefradil-treated patients, and withdrawal effects were not observed in clinical trials. There were no clinically important differences in safety profiles in the demographic subgroups for age, gender, or race. The results of this comprehensive safety analysis indicate that treatment with the recommended doses of mibefradil is well tolerated and safe.
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PMID:Safety of mibefradil, a new once-a-day, selective T-type calcium channel antagonist. 928 53

A gene for familial hemiplegic migraine, a subtype of migraine with aura, was assigned to chromosome 19p13. In this region, we identified a brain-specific P/Q-type calcium-channel alpha 1A-subunit gene, CACNA 1A, with 47 exons covering 300 kb. Sequencing of all exons and their flanking surroundings revealed polymorphic variations, including a (CA)n-repeat and a (CAG)n-repeat in the 3' untranslated region. In patients with familial hemiplegic migraine, we found four different missense mutations in conserved functional domains. One of the mutations has occurred on two different haplotypes in unrelated familial hemiplegic migraine families. Moreover, in episodic ataxia type 2, we found two mutations disrupting the reading frame. Thus, familial hemiplegic migraine and episodic ataxia type 2 can be considered as allelic channelopathies. Involvement of this familial hemiplegic migraine locus in migraine with and without aura was demonstrated by sib-pair analysis. We showed an increase of shared marker alleles of locus D19S394, which is tightly linked to the gene. The association between the alpha 1A calcium channel and familial hemiplegic migraine, and the increase of shared alleles in migraine-affected sib-pairs, have uncovered a new pathway for the pathophysiology of migraine. This finding may provide a rationale for the development of specific prophylactic therapy for migraine and other (paroxysmal) cerebral disorders.
Headache 1997 Sep
PMID:Wolff Award 1997. Involvement of a Ca2+ channel gene in familial hemiplegic migraine and migraine with and without aura. Dutch Migraine Genetics Research Group. 932 29


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