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

After heart disease, cancer and stroke, Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the fourth major cause of death in the developed countries. Due to demographic changes, this situation will further worsen in the future. With the use of molecular biology techniques, important progress has recently been made in the understanding of the molecular changes leading to some forms of this disabling illness. The first step was the partial sequencing of the amyloid protein accumulating in the senile plaques and vascular deposits characteristic of AD. This allowed the cloning of a cDNA coding for a long amyloid precursor protein (APP). During the last few years, independent reports have described the presence of several reproducible point mutations in specific codons of APP in early onset familial Alzheimer patients. These mutations are responsible for an abnormal processing of APP, leading to the formation of pathological beta/A4 amyloid deposits. beta/A4 has been shown to possess neurotrophic properties in embryonic neurones and to be a potent neurotoxic agent in differentiated hippocampal neurones. More recently, modifications of intracellular calcium, activation of kinases, free radical generation and anomalies in potassium channels have been described as possible mechanisms of beta/A4 toxicity. Some forms of Apo-E lipoprotein may be an additional risk factor. Hence, it now seems possible to elaborate a coherent theory to explain the cascade of events leading to the development of AD. Genetically induced point mutations or environmental factors may produce a modification of the APP metabolism and processing. As a consequence, abnormal deposits of beta/A4 are formed. They may exert direct or indirect neurotoxic actions. A degeneration of cholinergic, catecholaminergic and other neurones follows, leading to the well known cognitive and behavioural changes of AD.
 ...
PMID:Towards a pharmacological approach of Alzheimer's disease based on the molecular biology of the amyloid precursor protein (APP). 799 77

Substantial evidence indicates that T wave alternans is an intrinsic property of ischemic myocardium. The electrophysiologic basis appears to be spatial and temporal heterogeneity of repolarization resulting from changes in action potential morphology rather than in activation sequence. Ischemia-induced changes in postrepolarization refractoriness and depressed electrical restitution of action potential duration have also been implicated. The main underlying ionic basis for T wave alternans during coronary occlusion appears to be derangements in intracellular cycling of calcium. Accumulation of potassium in the extracellular space adjoining ischemic cells and disruption in electrogenic sodium-calcium exchange may also be involved. In humans, T wave alternans has been observed in Prinzmetal's and classical angina, angioplasty, and bypass graft occlusion. Under these conditions associated with acute myocardial ischemia, alternans is restricted to the ischemic zone, and alternation in action potential morphology is an underlying factor. Recently, repolarization alternans has been shown to be a statistically significant predictor of the results of electrophysiologic testing and arrhythmia-free survival in individuals with and without organic heart disease. Collectively, these observations provide a rationale for quantitation of T wave alternans magnitude for assessment of vulnerability to life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias both in response to and independent of the effects of myocardial ischemia.
 ...
PMID:Electrophysiologic basis for T wave alternans as an index of vulnerability to ventricular fibrillation. 805 49

We set out to examine the prevalence of echocardiographically-determined left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in a hospital-based population of untreated elderly hypertensives and to study the relationship between left ventricular mass index and clinic and 24h ambulatory BP, urinary electrolyte and microalbumin excretion and ECG changes. We studied 52 untreated elderly hypertensives, mean age 76 years, with no evidence of stroke or heart disease. Subjects underwent 24h ambulatory BP recording together with 24h urine collection for electrolytes and microalbumin estimation. A standard ECG was examined for LVH by commonly used criteria. Subjects were examined by 2-dimensional guided M-mode echocardiography; left ventricular mass was calculated from the formula of Devereux and Riechek and corrected for body surface area (left ventricular mass index, LVMI). Mean LVMI was 168 +/- 39 g/m2 for men and 153 +/- 36 g/m2 for women; 43 (83%) subjects had LVH. LVMI was significantly related to clinic SBP (r = 0.27, P = 0.05), ambulatory daytime SBP (r = 0.27, P = 0.05), nighttime SBP (r = 0.41, P = 0.003) and nighttime DBP (r = 0.29, P = 0.04). LVMI was also related to the difference in mean SBP between day and night (r = -0.32, P = 0.02) and subjects with a day-night SBP difference of > or = 10 mmHg (n = 27) had significantly lower LVMI than those with a day-night SBP difference < 10 mmHg (141 +/- 32 g/m2 vs. 176 +/- 35 g/m2, respectively; P = 0.0005). Fifteen subjects had LVH by ECG criteria giving a sensitivity of 28% and specificity of 66%. LVMI was not related to urinary sodium, potassium or albumin excretion. This study shows that in elderly hypertensives it is measures of nighttime BP which are most closely related to LVMI and subjects with a greater nocturnal fall in BP have lower LVMI, presumably reflecting differences in 24h BP load.
 ...
PMID:Clinical correlates of left ventricular mass in elderly hypertensives. 808 25

The intention of this paper was to describe a reliable method for the diagnosis of cardiomyopathy (CMP) in adult cattle and, in particular, a clear distinction between CMP and inflammatory heart disease (IHD). In a first study we performed a linear discriminant analysis using serum and urine electrolyte concentrations (sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, chloride, phosphate, iron, creatinine) of 33 CMP-affected and 35 healthy cattle. This analysis allowed to classify all the animals of both animal groups correctly. In a second study, we examined the clotting reaction of the glutaraldehyde coagulation test (GCT) in cardiomyopathy (n = 49), inflammatory heart diseases (n = 9) and in healthy cows (n = 35). 96% of the CMP-sick and all the control animals showed a clotting time above 10 minutes. In the IHD group, the clotting time was always below 10 minutes. In a third study, we applied the combination of discriminant analysis and GCT to a new set of CMP- (n = 14) and IHD-affected (n = 9) as well as to healthy cattle (n = 15). The classification was correct in 93% of the CMP-sick and in all the IHD-affected and the control animals. The results are discussed.
 ...
PMID:Diagnosis of bovine cardiomyopathy by electrolyte and protein analysis. 813 75

An epidemiological study was carried out into the risk factors for the following atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases: lipemic disorders, obesity, hypertension, diabetes mellitus as related to some factors which characterize life-style (sedentary, drinking, smoking and eating habits). The population studied belongs to the metropolitan area of S. Paulo. The research project had the following objectives: a) the development of an epidemiological baseline for the study of the risk factors for the atherosclerotics cardiovascular diseases represented by the lipimic disorders, obesity, hypertension and diabetes mellitus and their relationship with personal, family and social characteristics; b) the for clinical-educative treatment of patients or people at risk. In view of the objectives above it was decided that the project should in an integrated way with the local health centers and community associations in the field work phase. For this purpose, the methodology adopted was that of establishing small geographical areas, denominated "study areas", in accordance with socioeconomic criterion. Clinico-biochemical and eating surveys were carried out and interviews held with a view to obtaining data on socioeconomic and demographic and life-style characteristics. The clinical survey collected data on anthropometric measurements, arterial pressure, electrocardiogram and symptoms of heart disease. The biochemical survey consisted of the measurement of the following constituents of the blood: total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglyceride, magnesium, glucose, sodium, potassium and phosphorous. The eating survey covered data of historic food consumption. By means of indicators such as income, schooling, occupation, position held in the occupation, ownership of property and respective size of property and employment of labour, the social classes were established. The clinico-educative intervention was carried out in the following way: a) the team made contact with the community associations and the health centers, that begin to participate in the project, permitting the use of their physical space for the carrying out of surveys and clinical exams and taking part in the work of publishing and explaining the project; b) those individuals with positive diagnosis or who are found at risk were referred to the health centers which then include assistance for the diseases in question in their permanent activities. After the end the project the team gave to the community a report on the prevalence of the morbidities researched in their population.
 ...
PMID:[Atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases, dyslipidemia, hypertension, obesity, and diabetes mellitus in a population of the metropolitan area of southeastern Brazil. I--Research methodology]. 820 56

In patients with supraventricular rhythm disorders ambulatory electro-cardiographic recording (Holter system) is an indispensable examination as it detects attacks that pass unrecorded by conventional ECG, being asymptomatic, too brief or too rare. It confirms the diagnosis, defines the factors triggering the attacks, detects the association of rhythm and conduction disorders, guides the treatment and monitors its effectiveness. Sequential ambulatory recording lends itself particularly well to this last objective. Biochemical examinations explain the cause of certain relapses (potassium depletion, high alcohol blood level) or detect the origin, clinically more or less obvious, of these disorders of rhythm (essays of thyroid hormones). Measuring blood levels of therapeutic drugs makes the handling of these various drugs safer. Finally, echocardiography detects an underlying heart disease, evaluates the size of the left atrium (a factor of relapse when it is dilated and of embolism when it harbours thrombi) and assesses the left ventricular function before administration of antiarrhythmics which, to varying extents, are all negative inotropic drugs.
 ...
PMID:[Non-invasive exploration methods of supraventricular arrhythmia in current practice]. 823 3

A quantitative and qualitative analysis of ventricular arrhythmia was performed in 120 patients (64 men and 56 women, mean age 54 +/- 16) who suffered from arterial hypertension or congestive heart failure in the course of organic heart disease or ischaemic heart disease. 60 of them were treated with diuretics and the other 60 were control group. Neither antiarrhythmic drugs nor digitalis were used. There were no signs of left ventricular hypertrophy. Most patients treated with diuretics received potassium supplementation. Besides clinical examination all patients underwent 24 hours monitoring of Holter ECG. 38 patients treated with diuretics were evaluated before and after 6 months of therapy. In the diuretic group significantly higher percentage of patients with greater density of premature ventricular beats (count of premature ventricular beats [PVB]/100,000 heart evolutions) was observed. Number of patients with complex ventricular arrhythmia (Lown IVa and IVb) was also greater in this group. Serum levels of potassium and magnesium fell within the normal range, but the latter was significantly lower (p < 0.05) in those treated with diuretics.
 ...
PMID:[Ventricular arrhythmia in patients treated with diuretics]. 828 46

Although synthesized as a nonselective beta-adrenergic blocking compound, sotalol has emerged as the prototype of the so-called class III antiarrhythmic compounds. It delays cardiac repolarization by inhibiting the delayed rectifier potassium current, having a lesser effect on the inward rectifying potassium current with little or no effect on the inward calcium or sodium currents. This property of prolonging repolarization with an accompanying increase in the effective refractory period is not due to blockade of the beta-adrenergic receptors. The major electrophysiologic profile of sotalol constitutes the summed effects of beta blockade and prolonged repolarization. Sotalol exerts a potent antifibrillatory action modulated by its antiadrenergic effects. It suppresses premature ventricular contractions and nonsustained ventricular tachycardia while preventing inducible ventricular tachycardia and fibrillation in patients with advanced structural heart disease. The compound is therefore likely to exert a broad spectrum of antiarrhythmic actions in ventricular arrhythmias.
 ...
PMID:Electrophysiologic basis for the antiarrhythmic actions of sotalol and comparison with other agents. 834 31

Speculations about development of tolerance to the inotropic effect of digitalis have been engendered since studies in various in vitro systems and tissues not representative of the heart have shown up-regulation of sodium potassium adenosine triphosphatase (Na,K-ATPase) when exposed to digitalis. Moreover the digitalis receptor (i.e., Na,K-ATPase) concentration in the normal, vital human left ventricle has not been previously determined. On this basis, digitalis receptor concentration was quantified in the left ventricle of explanted hearts from subjects without heart disease and from patients with end-stage heart failure who had received digitalis therapy. This was performed using vanadate-facilitated 3H-ouabain binding to intact tissue samples giving values of 728 +/- 58 (n = 5) and 467 +/- 55 pmol/g wet weight (n = 6) (mean +/- SEM) (p < 0.005), respectively. However, some of the digitalis receptors may have retained digoxin before 3H-ouabain binding and thus may have escaped detection. To eliminate this effect of retained digoxin, samples were exposed to prolonged washing in buffer containing excess digoxin antibody, a method recently shown to clear digoxin from receptors and allow subsequent complete digitalis receptor quantification by 3H-ouabain binding. After washing in digoxin specific antibody, specific digitalis receptor concentration was 760 +/- 58 pmol/g (n = 5) and 614 +/- 47 pmol/g (n = 6) wet weight in samples of the normal and failing hearts, respectively (p < 0.08). Thus, digitalization was associated with occupancy of digitalis receptors in the failing human heart of 24% (p < 0.02).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
 ...
PMID:No adaptation to digitalization as evaluated by digitalis receptor (Na,K-ATPase) quantification in explanted hearts from donors without heart disease and from digitalized recipients with end-stage heart failure. 838 May 32

Ebstein"s anomaly is the most common congenital heart disease associated with the Wolf-Parkinson-White syndrome. Between November 1973 and March 1993, we surgically treated 42 patients with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome and Ebstein's anomaly. The patient's ages ranged from 5 months to 59 years (mean 35.3 +/- 14.0 years). There were a total of 52 accessory pathways, 48 of which were located in the right (65%) or posteroseptal (29%) area. A left-sided accessory pathway was seen in only two patients (3.8%). Division of all right-sided accessory pathways was done during normothermic cardiopulmonary bypass with the heart beating; cryocoagulation was applied together with scalpel dissection of the atrioventricular groove. Division of the left-sided accessory pathways was done with the use cold potassium cardioplegic arrest. Thirty-five of these patients underwent tricuspid valve operation for Ebstein's anomaly and 11 of them underwent tricuspid valve replacement with a bioprosthesis. All 52 accessory pathways were successfully divided, although two patients required reoperation because of tachycardia caused by accessory pathways in different positions. Three hospital deaths (7.1%) occurred. There were no late deaths during the follow-up period (mean 94.3 +/- 52.4 months), but two patients required repeat tricuspid operation because of progression of the tricuspid regurgitation. Because no repeat operations were required during long-term follow-up patients who underwent valve repair or valve replacement, correction should be indicated in some patients.
 ...
PMID:Surgical treatment of patients with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome and associated Ebstein's anomaly. 852 83


<< Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Next >>