Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0018799 (heart disease)
 34,133 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

According to data found in the literature, children born to epileptic mothers on anticonvulsant therapy have an increased perinatal mortality rate, namely 2-3 times the average. The congenital malformations attributed to anticonvulsant drugs cannot fully account for this high mortality rate. A case is described in which a severe bleeding disorder manifested itself in successive offspring. A discussion follows in which this defect in blood coagulation in the newborn and the role played by vitamin K is considered as representing an important and preventable cause of neonatal death and morbidity. Other features of the postnatal syndrome (CNS depression, congenital heart disease, withdrawal symptoms, anemia) are mentioned in the case report. Suggested preventative measures employing vitamin K, folic acid and vitamin D are briefly discussed.
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PMID:Maternal anticonvulsants and perinatal risk. 105 21

Nutritional modulation is one approach to successful aging. In animals, dietary restriction increases life span. Alterations in the macronutrient and micronutrient constituent of the diet can modulate gene expression. Anorexia is common in elderly persons. The results of studies in animals suggest that aging is associated with a decrease in the opioid feeding drive and an increase in the satiating effect of cholecystokinin. Unrecognized depression is a common, treatable cause of anorexia and weight loss in elderly persons. Protein synthesis decreases in elderly persons; nevertheless, nitrogen balance can be maintained in patients with fairly low intakes of protein. Carbohydrate intolerance is common and may be modulated by nutritional intervention and physical activity. The role of cholesterol in the development of heart disease in very old persons is controversial. Homebound and institutionalized elderly persons often do not expose their skin to sunlight; because the skin of older persons has a decreased ability to form vitamin D, the vitamin D status in these persons is precarious and they are at risk for osteopenia. Vitamins are often abused by elderly persons. Drug administration alters the vitamin requirements of persons. Borderline zinc state has been associated with deteriorating immune function, especially in persons who have diabetes mellitus or who abuse alcohol. Zinc administration appears to protect against the deteriorating vision associated with age-related macular degeneration. Selenium deficiency seems to be associated with an increased prevalence of cancer.
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PMID:Nutrition in the elderly. 305 65

Prevention of late-life disability is an important goal in managing the health care of older women. Hormone replacement therapy and regular exercise can protect against osteoporosis and heart disease. Dietary measures can control weight and prevent diabetes. Adequate calcium and vitamin D intake help protect bones from fractures. Mammography and Pap smears are proven screens for early cancer detection. Depression is not unusual in older women, but it is often masked by physical symptoms. Physicians can help women at risk for caregiver burnout by providing referrals and information on community resources. Use of other health professionals, as well as patient education videos and printed materials, can help physicians provide comprehensive care within the time limits of office practice.
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PMID:Older women's health: clinical care in the postmenopausal years. A roundtable discussion part 2. 776 64

Cardiac transplantation has become a successful therapy for end-stage heart disease. However, increased bone loss has been observed in heart transplant recipients, sometimes being responsible for osteoporotic fractures. Glucocorticoids cause dose-related bone loss, particularly in the first 6-12 months of use, but cyclosporine might play a role as well. The evolution of bone mineral density (BMD) and biochemical parameters was prospectively assessed in 24 patients (mean age 52 years) from cardiac transplantation. All patients received cyclosporin A (CsA) and prednisone, the latter at decreasing dosage. The mean current daily dose of CsA was 321 mg and serum levels of CsA were constant. All patients received calcium (500 mg day-1) and vitamin D (1000 U day-1) for prevention of bone loss. BMD (gcm-2) was measured in 17 patients at the lumbar spine, femoral neck and total hip with dual energy X-ray absorptiometry every 6 months. Spinal BMD as well as neck and total hip BMD decreased at 6 and 12 months after transplantation, being statistically significant at the three sites: -5.6 and -3.4% for the lumbar spine, -9.3 and -8.5% for the femoral neck, -4.8% and -6.0% for the total hip respectively. Parathyroid hormone (PTH) and osteocalcin (BGP) increased by 90% and 800% respectively between pretransplantation values and 18 months after transplantation. BGP levels measured every 2 months from transplantation increased continuously from 8.7 micrograms L-1 (mean +/- SEM) before transplantation to 31.3 +/- 10.1 (P < 0.05) at 4 months, to 59.1 +/- 8.8 (P < 0.01) at 6 months and to 72.2 +/- 9.9 (P < 0.01) at 18 months (Kruskal-Wallis analysis: P < 0.0001). PTH showed a biphasic pattern with an initial decrease from 39.3 +/- 4.1 ng L-1 at baseline to 22.0 +/- 2.8 ng L-1 at 2 months, but increasing thereafter to 45.9 +/- 5.7 at 6 months and 74.2 +/- 8.9 at 18 months (Kruskal-Wallis analysis: P < 0.001). These variations represent a glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis. In summary, cardiac transplant patients lose bone immediately after transplantation at the spine and the hip. Later on, the loss in BMD discontinues at all sites of the skeleton, but predominantly at the spine, and a few patients still lose bone at the hip. This is probably a result of the high bone turnover either due to secondary hyperparathyroidism or induced by cyclosporin A.
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PMID:Cyclosporine induces high bone turnover and may contribute to bone loss after heart transplantation. 886 16

The life expectancy of women currently exceeds that of men by almost seven years, yet women spend approximately twice as many years disabled prior to death as their male counterparts. The diseases that account for death and health care utilization in older women (heart disease, cancer, stroke, fracture, pneumonia, osteoarthritis, cataracts) are also major contributors to disability. This paper reviews the scientific evidence that supports specific recommendations for older women that may prevent or delay these conditions for as long as possible. Risk factors for falls and fractures should be assessed and, where possible, modified. Adequate intakes of calcium, vitamin D, fruits, and vegetables should be encouraged. Weight should be monitored and weight loss discouraged for most women. Screening for B12 deficiency is recommended. Engaging women in a shared decision-making process about the use of hormone replacement therapy for longterm prevention of heart disease and fractures is important, as is regular screening for breast and colo-rectal cancer. Women should be encouraged to engage in enjoyable physical activities, including walking, for 30 minutes daily. These interventions have the potential to delay the onset and improve the course of many chronic conditions that prevail in later life.
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PMID:Healthy aging. A women's issue. 934 51

The relation between fluoride intake and risk of osteoporotic fractures remains unclear. The lack of individual measures of long-term fluoride intake has limited epidemiologic studies. We used toenail fluoride in this study as a measure of long-term intake to evaluate the relation between fluoride intake and subsequent risk of hip and distal forearm fractures. Between 1982 and 1984, we collected toenail clippings from 62,641 women in the Nurses' Health Study who were free from cancer, heart disease, stroke, and previous hip or forearm fracture. We identified fracture cases (53 proximal femur and 188 distal forearm) through subsequent biennial mailed questionnaires and matched controls to cases on year of birth. The odds ratio of hip fracture among women in the highest quartile of toenail fluoride [ > 5.50 parts per million (ppm)], compared with those in the lowest quartile (> 2.00 ppm), was 0.8 (95% confidence interval = 0.2-4.0), with adjustment for menopausal status, postmenopausal hormone use, caffeine intake, and alcohol consumption. The corresponding adjusted odds ratio for forearm fracture was 1.6 (95% confidence interval = 0.8-3.1). Further adjustment for body mass index, smoking status, and calcium and vitamin D intake did not alter these results.
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PMID:Use of toenail fluoride levels as an indicator for the risk of hip and forearm fractures in women. 964 5

Chronic alcohol abuse is associated with low bone density and high risk of fracture. However, moderate alcohol consumption may help to maintain bone density in postmenopausal women by increasing endogenous estrogens or by promoting secretion of calcitonin. We conducted a prospective study among a sample of 188 white postmenopausal women (ages 50-74) from the Nurses' Health Study who participated in a health examination between 1993 and 1995 that included bone density assessments of the lumbar spine and proximal femur. Long-term alcohol intake was calculated as the average of the 1980 and 1990 measures from a food frequency questionnaire. Women who consumed 75 g or more of alcohol per week had significantly higher bone densities at the lumbar spine compared with non-drinking women (0.951 vs. 0.849 g/cm2, p = 0.002) after adjusting for age, body mass index (kg/m2), age at menopause, use of postmenopausal estrogens, and smoking status. Further adjustment for physical activity and daily intakes of calcium, vitamin D, protein, and caffeine did not alter the results. We also observed a linear increase in spinal bone density over increasing categories of alcohol intake (p = 0.002), suggesting that alcohol intakes of less than 75 g/week may also be of benefit. This positive association was observed among both current users and never users of postmenopausal estrogens. In contrast to the lumbar spine, femoral bone density was not higher among drinkers compared with nondrinkers, although density did increase among drinkers with increasing level of alcohol consumption. Further research is needed to determine whether moderate alcohol consumption can help to protect against spinal fractures in postmenopausal women. This finding must also be evaluated within a larger scope of the risks and benefits of alcohol on heart disease, breast cancer, and hip fractures.
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PMID:Moderate alcohol consumption and bone density among postmenopausal women. 1009 83

The Women's Health Initiative (WHI), established by the National Institutes of Health in 1991, is a long-term national health study that focuses on strategies for preventing heart disease, breast and colorectal cancer and osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. These chronic diseases are the major causes of death, disability and frailty in older women of all races and socioeconomic backgrounds. The WHI a 15-year multi-million dollar endeavor, and one of the largest U.S. prevention studies of its kind. The study involves over 161,000 women aged 50-79, and is one of the most definitive, far reaching clinical trials of women's health ever undertaken in the U.S. The WHI Clinical Trial and Observational Study will attempt to address many of the inequities in women's health research and provide practical information to women and their physicians about hormone replacement therapy, dietary patterns and calcium/vitamin D supplements, and their effects on the prevention of heart disease, cancer and osteoporosis. Emerging information from the NIH Women's Health Initiative and other studies of women's health begun in the 1990's should be changing the landscape of options for older women in the years to come.
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PMID:Commentary on the Women's Health Initiative. 1071 4

Vitamin D is taken for granted and is not appreciated for its importance in overall health and well-being. Vitamin D, known as the sunshine vitamin, is appreciated as being important for the prevention of rickets in children. It is now recognized that vitamin D is important for not only the growing skeleton, but for the maintenance of a healthy musculoskeletal system throughout life. Vitamin D deficiency in adults precipitates and exacerbates osteoporosis and causes the painful bone disease osteomalacia. The revelation that vitamin D is biologically inactive and requires sequential hydroxylations in the liver and kidney to form 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D helps explain why patients with renal failure are often resistant to vitamin D and suffer from secondary hyperparathyroidism and renal osteodystrophy. In addition to its role in maintaining calcium and phosphorus homeostasis, vitamin D is now being recognized as important for maintaining maximum muscle strength and for the prevention of many chronic diseases, including type I diabetes, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, hypertension, cardiovascular heart disease, and many common cancers. Vitamin D status is best determined by the measurement of circulating levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D. Vigilance for maintaining a 25-hydroxyvitamin D level of at least 20 ng/ml and preferably 30-50 ng/ml has important benefits for both healthy children and adults, as well as children and adults suffering from chronic kidney disease.
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PMID:Vitamin D for health and in chronic kidney disease. 1607 48

Vitamin D deficiency is now recognized as an epidemic in the United States. The major source of vitamin D for both children and adults is from sensible sun exposure. In the absence of sun exposure 1000 IU of cholecalciferol is required daily for both children and adults. Vitamin D deficiency causes poor mineralization of the collagen matrix in young children's bones leading to growth retardation and bone deformities known as rickets. In adults, vitamin D deficiency induces secondary hyperparathyroidism, which causes a loss of matrix and minerals, thus increasing the risk of osteoporosis and fractures. In addition, the poor mineralization of newly laid down bone matrix in adult bone results in the painful bone disease of osteomalacia. Vitamin D deficiency causes muscle weakness, increasing the risk of falling and fractures. Vitamin D deficiency also has other serious consequences on overall health and well-being. There is mounting scientific evidence that implicates vitamin D deficiency with an increased risk of type I diabetes, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, hypertension, cardiovascular heart disease, and many common deadly cancers. Vigilance of one's vitamin D status by the yearly measurement of 25-hydroxyvitamin D should be part of an annual physical examination.
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PMID:The vitamin D epidemic and its health consequences. 1625 41


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