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)

Depression in the elderly is often not recognised and is frequently under-treated. Reboxetine is a selective noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor (selective NRI) which is effective and well tolerated in the treatment of depressed adult patients. This prospective, uncontrolled, multicentre study was designed to assess the efficacy and tolerability of reboxetine as maintenance therapy for major depressive disorder or dysthymia in 160 elderly patients (aged 65-94 years). One hundred and thirty-nine patients completed the 6-week run-in period and entered the long-term phase; 104 patients completed the 52-week treatment period. The proportion of patients with CGI-global improvement ratings assessed as 'much' and 'very much' improved increased from 15.1% at week 2 to 88.7% at week 6 and to 95.2% at week 52. The mean HAM-D total score showed a reduction from 24.0 at baseline to 10.4 at week 6 and 7.5 at week 52. Twenty-five patients discontinued treatment due to adverse events. The most frequently reported adverse events were nausea (11.9%), insomnia (11.9%), headache (10.0%) and dry mouth (9.1%), and these were of mild or moderate severity. In summary, results from this study show reboxetine to be effective, and well tolerated in both the short- and long-term treatment of elderly depressed or dysthymic patients.
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PMID:Reboxetine in the maintenance therapy of depressive disorder in the elderly: a long-term open study. 1098 24

Currently, two drugs are considered useful for those wishing to quit smoking in Germany--nicotine and bupropion. The mechanism of action appears to involve reuptake inhibition of the transmitters noradrenaline and/or dopamine by the brain. Treatment with a daily dose of 300 mg delayed release buproplon for 7 to 9 weeks resulted in smoking cessation in 30.3% (buproplon) and 35.5% (bupropion plus nicotine patch) of the smokers at 12 months (placebo: 15.6%, nicotine patch: 16.4%). A large number of the participants had had negative experience with nicotine preparations in previous attempts to stop smoking. Most side effects of bupropion involve the nervous system (disturbed sleep, trembling, loss of concentration, headache, dizziness, depression, restlessness, anxiety) and the gastrointestinal tract (dry mouth, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, constipation) and elevated temperature (> 1% of the treated subjects). It is suggested that, at present, bupropion should be used for this indication only in those smokers in whom treatment with nicotine has failed.
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PMID:[Antidepressive drug against nicotine. A method for smoking cessation]. 1119 75

The paper presents an analysis of the influence of 10 sessions of phototherapy (exposure to bright white light, 3300 lux) in 9 children with episodic headache of tension (EHAT), in 21 children with chronic headache of tension (CHAT) and in 10 children with migraine. Clinical complaints, mood, autonomic status, blood levels of thyroid hormones, hydrocortisone, prolactin, excretion of catecholamines with daily urine were analysed. A course of phototherapy resulted in improvement of the mood, a decrease in the number of the complaints, a tendency to normalization of autonomic homeostasis, an increase in the levels of hydrocortisone and prolactin, a decrease of the high initial level of urine adrenaline and noradrenaline as well as elevation of initially low one in 92.5% of children from all the groups. The most pronounced positive effect was observed after phototherapy in children with CHAT, weaker effect was found in children with migraine. The conclusion is made about optimizing and modulating influence of phototherapy on the levels of stress-realizing hormones and autonomic homeostasis, that improves adaptation of a child's organism.
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PMID:[Application of phototherapy in children with headache]. 1119 36

A 25-year-old male student complained about episodic palpitations, dizziness, nausea and headache 5 years prior to presentation. No otorhinolaryngic, neurologic or gastrointestinal causes were identified. Several ECG recordings revealed sinus node dysfunction with intermittent sinus arrest and AV-nodal escape rhythm. The patient was given a permanent DDD-pacemaker. Six months later, the clinical symptoms were unchanged. During an attack, physical examination revealed paleness, diffuse sweating and an arterial blood pressure of 250/130 mmHg, which decreased to 120/80 mmHg within a few minutes. Abdominal ultrasound and abdominal computed tomographic scan demonstrated the presence of a large (6.4 x 5.5 cm) left-sided adrenal mass. Two 24-h-urinary collections demonstrated elevated noradrenaline (mean 315 micrograms/24 h, normal < 80 micrograms/24 h) and adrenaline (mean 268 micrograms/24 h, normal < 20 mg/24 h) levels. Blood samples, which were drawn during excessive blood pressure rise, revealed elevation of plasma catecholamines (6.793 pg/ml for adrenaline (normal 50-150 pg/ml) and 10.424 pg/ml for noradrenaline (normal 200-500 pg/ml), so that the diagnosis of pheochromocytoma was considered established. The tumor was successfully removed during laparascopic surgery. After surgery, the patient remained well and normotensive. Three months later, several long-term ECG recordings showed sinus arrhythmia with no evidence of sinus arrest or AV-nodal escape rhythm, so that the DDD pacemaker was turned off. This case underlines that sinus node dysfunction with intermittent sinus arrest and AV-nodal escape rhythm is a potential early manifestation of a pheochromocytoma. These changes seem to disappear after successful removal of the tumor.
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PMID:[Sinus node dysfunction with intermittent sinus arrest and AV-nodal escape rhythm as initial manifestation of pheochromocytoma]. 1196 12

Sleep bruxism (SB) is reported by 8% of the adult population and is mainly associated with rhythmic masticatory muscle activity (RMMA) characterized by repetitive jaw muscle contractions (3 bursts or more at a frequency of 1 Hz). The consequences of SB may include tooth destruction, jaw pain, headaches, or the limitation of mandibular movement, as well as tooth-grinding sounds that disrupt the sleep of bed partners. SB is probably an extreme manifestation of a masticatory muscle activity occurring during the sleep of most normal subjects, since RMMA is observed in 60% of normal sleepers in the absence of grinding sounds. The pathophysiology of SB is becoming clearer, and there is an abundance of evidence outlining the neurophysiology and neurochemistry of rhythmic jaw movements (RJM) in relation to chewing, swallowing, and breathing. The sleep literature provides much evidence describing the mechanisms involved in the reduction of muscle tone, from sleep onset to the atonia that characterizes rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Several brainstem structures (e.g., reticular pontis oralis, pontis caudalis, parvocellularis) and neurochemicals (e.g., serotonin, dopamine, gamma aminobutyric acid [GABA], noradrenaline) are involved in both the genesis of RJM and the modulation of muscle tone during sleep. It remains unknown why a high percentage of normal subjects present RMMA during sleep and why this activity is three times more frequent and higher in amplitude in SB patients. It is also unclear why RMMA during sleep is characterized by co-activation of both jaw-opening and jaw-closing muscles instead of the alternating jaw-opening and jaw-closing muscle activity pattern typical of chewing. The final section of this review proposes that RMMA during sleep has a role in lubricating the upper alimentary tract and increasing airway patency. The review concludes with an outline of questions for future research.
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PMID:Neurobiological mechanisms involved in sleep bruxism. 1276 18

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of an immediate switch to reboxetine, a selective noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor (selective NRI), in patients with depression unresponsive to the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) fluoxetine. The study included 128 adult outpatients with DSM-IV major depressive disorder (MDD) who had not responded to at least 6 to 12 weeks of fluoxetine treatment, with at least 3 weeks of treatment on a minimum dose of 40 mg/d. Patients were switched, without a washout period, to reboxetine 4 mg twice daily, with the possibility of increasing the dose to 10 mg/d (given in divided doses) after 4 weeks of treatment. Efficacy was assessed using the 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D-17) and the Clinical Global Impression Improvement (CGI-I) and Severity (CGI-S) scales. Safety was evaluated by recording spontaneously reported adverse events.A statistically significant (P < 0.001) improvement in the mean total HAM-D-17 score was seen from baseline by week 1 of treatment with reboxetine, and the improvement continue to week 8. CGI-I and CGI-S scores were similarly improved. The switch to reboxetine was well tolerated; the most common treatment-emergent adverse events were insomnia, headache, dry mouth, diaphoresis, and constipation, all of which were mild to moderate in severity and decreased in frequency as the study progressed.Immediate switching to reboxetine appears to be a safe and effective treatment for patients with depression who have failed to respond to an adequate dose of fluoxetine.
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PMID:Switching to reboxetine: an efficacy and safety study in patients with major depressive disorder unresponsive to fluoxetine. 1292 Apr 12

Obesity is a multifactorial, chronic disorder that has reached epidemic proportions in most industrialised countries and is threatening to become a global epidemic. Clinical management of obese patients is complex and serious doubts have arisen with regard to safety and efficacy of drug therapy. Following the withdrawal of fenfluramine and dexfenfluramine in 1997, interest has focused on novel anti-obesity drugs. Pharmacological approaches to the management of obesity can, in broad terms, use different distinct strategies: firstly, to reduce energy intake; secondly, to increase energy expenditure; and thirdly, to alter the partitioning of nutrients between fat and lean tissue. Sibutramine is a serotonin-noradrenaline (norepinephrine) reuptake inhibitor indicated for the management of obesity in conjunction with a reduced calorie diet. The pharmacological mechanisms by which sibutramine exerts its weight loss effect are likely due to a combination of reduced appetite, feelings of satiety and possibly the induction of thermogenesis. The efficacy of sibutramine for inducing initial weight loss and the subsequent maintenance of weight loss is well proven in short- and long-term clinical trials of up to 2 years' duration. Most individual placebo-controlled trials and pooled estimates found that the drug produced statistically significant greater weight loss than placebo at all observed endpoints (weighted mean difference for weight change at 8 weeks: -3.4 kg; mean difference range for weight change at 6 months: -4.0 to -9.1 kg; and at 1 year: -4.1 to -4.8 kg). The most frequent dosage regimen in these trials was 10-20 mg daily. Findings suggested a dose-effect relationship in terms of weight loss. Sibutramine was also associated with better weight maintenance relative to placebo (statistically significant difference). Results from mainly small trials showed that sibutramine produced more favourable outcomes in terms of loss of fat mass, reduction in body mass index and loss of > or = 5-10% of initial bodyweight. The most commonly reported adverse effects of sibutramine are headache, constipation and nausea. Certain adverse events associated with the nervous system, including dizziness, dry mouth and insomnia, are reported by > 5% of patients receiving sibutramine. Increases in blood pressure and heart rate were possible adverse effects that require regular monitoring especially in obese hypertensive patients. Neither left-sided cardiac valve disease nor primary pulmonary hypertension was associated with the use of sibutramine. The assessment of the benefit-risk profile of sibutramine remained positive, although the product must be kept under regular review.
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PMID:A benefit-risk assessment of sibutramine in the management of obesity. 1458 64

Mitragyna ciliata is commonly used in traditional medicine for the treatment of inflammation, hypertension, headache, rheumatism, gonorrhoea and broncho-pulmonary diseases. In the present study, the vascular relaxant effect in the rat and guinea-pig was investigated. The extract induced aortic relaxation in a concentration-dependent manner, with an EC(50) of 1.3 and 7 microg/mL for the noradrenaline- and KCl-induced contractions, respectively. The relaxant effect of the extract on KCl-induced contractions was fi ve times greater than on noradrenaline-induced contractions. Moreover, the relaxant effect of the extract was higher in rat aortic rings with endothelium (104.67%) than without endothelium (49.44%). Chemical analysis of the extract showed the presence of alkaloids and flavonoids which may be responsible for the antihypertensive properties.
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PMID:Vasodilating properties of the stem bark extract of Mitragyna ciliata in rats and guinea pigs. 1475 Jan 98

Amitriptyline, which is a noradrenaline reuptake and 5-HT reuptake inhibitor, has an established role in the management of chronic tension-type headaches. In a single-blind study, patients with chronic tension-type headache were randomized to either fluoxetine 20 mg (a selective 5-HT reuptake inhibitor) or desipramine 75 mg (a selective noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor) and followed for 12 weeks to compare the effectiveness of the two drugs in improving headache, and to assess whether pain control is related to changes in depression. Patients were evaluated at weekly intervals on an analog pain-rating scale and at 4-weekly intervals on the Montgomery and Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), the MOS general health status questionnaire (SF36), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and a side effects checklist. Eighteen patients were randomized to take fluoxetine and 19 to take desipramine. Of the 25 patients who completed the trial, 12 were on fluoxetine and 13 were on desipramine. There was no significant difference between the two groups at baseline nor in change of pain; reduction in use of analgesic medication; nor change in the HADS, MADRS, or SF36 scores at 12 weeks, but 72% of patients who completed the study improved, and this improvement almost exactly mirrored the improvement on the MADRS. The results from this trial are compatible with the notion that the beneficial effect of antidepressants in chronic tension-type headache is indirect, mediated by an effect on depression, and not more,dependent on serotonin reuptake inhibition than noradrenaline reuptake inhibition.
Headache
PMID:Antidepressant treatment of chronic tension-type headache: a comparison between fluoxetine and desipramine. 1561 68

Although not without controversy, an influence of the autonomic nervous system in headache is a matter for current debate. A possible contact site of autonomic and sensory nerves is the dura mater, where they form a dense network accompanying blood vessels. We investigated interactions between autonomic and nociceptive fibres by measuring release of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) from the dura mater, in vitro. The parasympathomimetic agent carbachol did not change basal release of CGRP or PGE2, whereas it diminished release induced by a mixture of inflammatory mediators. Norepinephrine did not change induced release of CGRP or PGE2, nor basal release of CGRP. However, basal release of PGE2 was enhanced by norepinephrine, and this enhancement was reduced by serotonin through 5-HT(1D) receptors. We conclude that sympathetic transmitters may control nociceptor sensitivity via increased basal PGE2 levels, a possible mechanism to facilitate headache generation. Parasympathetic transmitters may reduce enhanced nociceptor activity.
Cephalalgia 2006 Mar
PMID:Effect of sympathetic and parasympathetic mediators on the release of calcitonin gene-related peptide and prostaglandin E from rat dura mater, in vitro. 1647 34


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