Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0018801 (heart failure)
72,216 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) plays an essential physiologic role in oxidative phosphorylation and its plasma and tissue concentration has been evaluated in various pathologic conditions, both endocrine and non endocrine; among the latter particularly in cardiac failure. Plasma CoQ10 determination has been reported in the literature an a useful diagnostic tool in differential diagnosis of thyroid diseases. In the present study we have evaluated CoQ10 circulating levels both in hypo- and hyperthyroidism. For this purpose plasma CoQ10, fT3-fT4 and TSH concentrations have been determined (HPLC, RIA and IRMA respectively) in a group of hypothyroid patients, hyperthyroid and control subjects. No patient was harbouring cardiovascular, metabolic or systemic disease. CoQ10 has resulted 0.97 +/- 0.46 mcg/ml in the hypothyroid group, 0.51 +/- 0.35 in hyperthyroid and 0.73 +/- 0.16 in control group, with a significative difference between first and second group only; more, the prevalence of high levels has appeared greater in hypo- towards hyperthyroid patients and that of low levels in the latter greater than in the former. Finally an inverse relation of CoQ10 with fT3 and tT3, but not with fT4 and tT4, has been shown. In conclusion, plasma CoQ10 levels have not given in this study a sharp distinction between euthyroidism on a side and hypo- and hyperthyroidism on the other, but necessity of longitudinal studies after therapy is outlined, both to know time of normalization of plasma concentrations and to verify the opportunity of exogenous administration of CoQ10 in hyperthyroid patients with risk factors for heart failure.
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PMID:[Circulating levels of CoQ10 in hypo- and hyperthyroidism]. 779 96

We evaluated the analytical characteristics and clinical usefulness of a commercially available IRMA kit for measuring plasma concentrations of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) in healthy subjects and in patients with heart failure. The method uses two monoclonal antibodies prepared against sterically remote epitopes of the ANP molecule; the first antibody is coated on the solid-phase beads, and the second is radiolabeled with 125I. Fifty-nine healthy subjects and 77 patients with heart failure were studied. After subjects had rested 20 min in a recumbent position, blood samples were collected from a brachial vein into ice-chilled disposable polypropylene tubes containing aprotinin and EDTA. Plasma samples were immediately separated by centrifugation and stored at -20 degrees C until assay. The working range (CV <15%) was 10-2000 ng/L. The detection limit (2.13 +/- 0.91 ng/L) was similar to those reported for other IRMAs but was much better than those of RIAs. For healthy subjects, the results of this method (18.0 +/- 10.6 ng/L, range 4.7-63 ng/L, median 16.7 ng/L, n = 59) were similar to those generally reported for the most accurate methods, i.e., those using preliminary extraction and chromatographic purification of plasma samples. Measured plasma ANP was significantly associated with the severity of clinical symptoms, i.e., NYHA class (ANOVA, P <0.0001), and with the left ventricular ejection fraction (n = 62, r = 0.618, P <0.0001). Patients with severe heart failure showed greatly increased values (NYHA III-IV: 257.4 +/- 196.6 ng/L, n = 23).
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PMID:Analytical performance and clinical usefulness of a commercially available IRMA kit for measuring atrial natriuretic peptide in patients with heart failure. 885 46

Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) is increased in patients with heart failure due to myocardial infarction and cardiac hypertrophy, in proportion to the severity of left ventricular dysfunction. The aims of this study were to clarify the clinical features of BNP and to determine the diagnostic value of BNP for mass screening. The subjects were 818 office workers (565 males and 253 females; mean age 47 +/- 12 years) who participated in a 1996 routine health check at Kansai University All individuals were examined for blood pressure, serological findings, ECG and plasma BNP level. Thirty-three males underwent 2-D echocardiography. Plasma BNP levels were measured using IRMA (immunoradiometric assay). The results were as follows: (1) BNP levels in females were higher than those in males for healthy subjects (N = 551), in each age group from 20 to 60 years. (2) BNP levels increased with age. (3) There were significant correlations between BNP level and systolic blood pressure and creatinine level. (4) There were significant differences in BNP level between the hypertensive groups with and without hypertensive ECG changes and the age-matched healthy control group. (5) Marked correlations were observed between BNP level and left ventricular wall thickness, fractional shortening, deceleration time and peak early filling velocity. (6) A BNP cut-off-point of 25 pg/ml was best for detecting LV diastolic dysfunction and LV hypertrophy. Measurement of BNP is useful for detecting asymptomatic heart failure in the general population, and is a clinical marker useful in preventing symptomatic heart failure.
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PMID:Significance of brain natriuretic peptide measurement as a diagnostic indicator of cardiac function. 1099 54

Recent trials have helped to clarify indications for the initial pharmacological therapy of hypertension. Both the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC VI) and World Health Organization-international Society of Hypertension (WHO-ISH) recommendations should be revised. The more recent trials indicate that: (1) diuretics and beta-blockers appear to be as effective in reducing overall morbidity/ mortality as other agents (Swedish Trial in Old Patients with Hypertension [STOP-2], United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study [UKPDS], Intervention as a Goal in Hypertension Treatment [INSIGHT], Nordic diltiazem [NORDIL]); (2) the use of an a-blocker results in more cardiovascular events, especially congestive heart failure, when compared with a diuretic (Antihypertensive Therapy and Lipid Lowering Heart Attack Trial [ALLHAT]); (3)the use of an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor results in fewer myocardial infarctions and episodes of heart failure than calcium channel blockers in the elderly and in diabetic patients (Fosinopril vs. Amlodipine Cardiovascular Events Randomized Trial [FACET], Appropriate Blood Pressure Control in Diabetes [ABCD], STOP-2) - other data (Captopril Prevention Project [CAPPP]) suggest that the use of an ACE inhibitor is preferred in diabetic patients; (4) overall cardiovascular events are similar with calcium channel blockers compared with a diuretic - however, there are fewer strokes with non-dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers (NORDIL) and a trend towards an increase in heart failure and myocardial infarctions with either a dihydropyridine or non-dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers compared with a diuretic (INSIGHT, NORDIL); (5) angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) will decrease proteinuria and slow progression of renal disease in type 2 diabetic patients when compared with regimens that do not include an ARB or an ACE inhibitor (Reduction of Endpoints in NIDDM with the Angiotensin II Antagonist Losartan [RENAAL], Irbesartan Type II Diabetic Nephropathy Trial [IDNT], Irbesartan Type II Diabetes with Microalbuminuria [IRMA Il]). The debate over initial therapy may be moot. High-risk hypertensive patients should probably be treated initially with combination therapy, one of which should be a diuretic. The use of diuretics and beta-blockers as well as ACE-inhibitors alone or with a diuretic should be considered as initial therapy (a change from JNCVI). Alpha-blockers should be reserved for special situations, i.e. prostatic hypertrophy (in contrast to WHO-ISH recommendations). An ACE-inhibitor or ARB, usually along with a diuretic, can be considered as preferred therapy in hypertensive diabetic patients. Some data suggest equal or greater reduction in strokes with a calcium channel blocker than other medications.
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PMID:Current recommendations for the treatment of hypertension: are they still valid? 1199 97

Aggressive treatment of hypertension is effective in reducing both microvascular and macrovascular complications in type 2 diabetes, and target BP less than 130/85 or 130/80 mmHg are now recommended. Inhibition of renin angiotensin aldosterone system (RAAS) plays an essential role in the treatment of hypertension and diabetes-related complications. Studies focusing on renal end-points suggest that angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE-I) are more effective than other traditional agents in reducing the onset of clinical proteinuria in both type 1 and type 2 diabetic patients with incipient nephropathy, mainly in normotensive ones (secondary prevention). However, several small trials in type 2 diabetic patients with overt nephropathy (tertiary prevention) failed to demonstrate a specific renoprotective role for ACE-I, at variance with type 1 diabetes. Three recent large trials address the question of whether angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARB) prevent the development of clinical proteinuria or delay the progression of nephropathy in type 2 diabetes. The IRMA study showed that irbesartan is more effective than conventional therapy in preventing the development of clinical proteinuria and in favoring the regression to normoalbuminuria for comparable BP control in patients with incipient nephropathy. The IDNT and RENAAL trials showed that ARB are more effective than traditional antihypertensive therapies in reducing progression toward end-stage renal failure (ESRF) in type 2 diabetic patients with overt nephropathy independently of changes in BP. Moreover, a reduction in hospitalizations for heart failure was demonstrated for ARB-treated patients compared with placebo. Furthermore, the LIFE study showed that losartan is more effective than conventional therapy in reducing cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in a cohort of diabetic patients with hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy. In conclusion, ARB seem to be effective in both preventing renal damage and reducing progression toward ESRF in type 2 diabetic patients. Thus, the guidelines for the prevention and treatment of diabetic nephropathy are now changed. In type 1 diabetes ACE-I are the first-choice drug; in type 2 diabetes, ARB are considered first-choice drugs in secondary prevention as well as ACE-I and have been now elected the unique first-choice drug in tertiary prevention of ESRF. Finally, ARB should be considered as the first-choice drug in cardiovascular prevention too, as well as ACE-I.
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PMID:Renal and cardiovascular protection in type 2 diabetes mellitus: angiotensin II receptor blockers. 1246 18

Blood pressure reduction and intensive antihypertensive treatment are effective in reducing both microvascular and macrovascular complications in type 2 diabetes. Blood pressure target levels < 130/85 or 130/80 mmHg are now recommended. Antagonism of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system seems to be an important goal in the treatment of hypertension and diabetes-related complications. The renoprotective role of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE)-inhibitors has been well documented in type 1 diabetes; in type 2 diabetes ACE-inhibitors have been deemed more effective than other traditional drugs in reducing the onset of overt nephropathy in microalbuminuric patients (secondary prevention) but not in reducing renal dysfunction in patients with clinical proteinuria (tertiary prevention). Recently, four large trials performed on type 2 diabetes showed that angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) prevent the development of clinical proteinuria in microalbuminuric patients (IRMA and MARVAL studies) and delay the progression of nephropathy towards end-stage renal failure in patients with overt nephropathy (IDNT and RENAAL studies). Moreover, ARBs have been deemed more effective in reducing hospitalizations for heart failure compared to placebo (IDNT and RENAAL studies) and in reducing cardiovascular morbidity and mortality compared to conventional therapy (LIFE study) in type 2 diabetes. In conclusion, ARBs are effective in preventing and delaying renal damage in type 2 diabetes. Thus, the recent guidelines for the prevention and treatment of diabetic nephropathy state that ACE-inhibitors are the first-choice drugs in type 1 diabetes while ARBs are considered as the first-choice drugs in secondary prevention, the same as ACE-inhibitors, and are the unique first-choice drug in tertiary prevention of end-stage renal failure in type 2 diabetes. Finally, ACE-inhibitors and ARBs are both first-choice drugs in cardiovascular prevention in type 2 diabetes.
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PMID:[The role of angiotensin II AT1-receptor antagonists in renal and cardiac protection in type-2 diabetes mellitus]. 1278 55

In order to study the influence of gender on circulating levels of cardiac natriuretic hormones (CNHs) in heart failure, we measured the plasma levels of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) by means of highly sensitive and specific IRMA methods in 239 consecutive patients (age 64.7 +/- 11.6 years, range 21-89 years; 170 men and 69 women) with cardiomyopathy. There was different response of CNH according to gender in patients with heart failure, as indicated by the ratio between the individual CNH values of patients and the gender-specific cut-off values. Indeed, the mean ratio for ANP found in men (3.6 +/- 3.6) was significantly higher (p = 0.0075) than that found in women (2.4 +/- 2.1). The mean ratio for BNP was on average 2.3 fold higher (15.9 +/- 27.1 in men and 6.9 +/- 6.8 in women, p = 0.0084). Moreover, age, ejection fraction, and disease severity independently and significantly contributed to regression with both ANP (R = 0.612, F = 39.969, p < 0.0001) and BNP (R = 0.656, F = 49.957, p < 0.0001) values, while gender did not. In conclusion, our study suggests a different, gender-specific activation of the CNH system in this clinical condition, although age, ejection fraction and disease severity seem to be more powerful predictors than gender of circulating levels of ANP and BNP in patients with heart failure.
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PMID:Influence of gender on circulating cardiac natriuretic hormones in patients with heart failure. 1281 68

Beneficial effects of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) and angiotensin type 1 receptor (AT1) blockers in patients with cardiovascular and renal diseases have been clearly demonstrated in numerous large outcomes studies. In patients with heart failure (HF), ACEI have been shown to reduce overall mortality, mortality from cardiovascular causes, to increase life expectancy, as well as to preserve the renal function (CONSENSUS, SAVE, TRACE, AIRE, AIREX, CATS trials). In addition, in the PROGRESS study ACEI substantially decreased the risk of stroke and transient ischemic attacks in patients with cerebrovascular disorders. The HOPE and EUROPA studies confirmed that long term therapy with ACEI provides significant survival benefit in patients with broad range of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases. After these large and well designed clinical studies, ACEI have become standard therapy for routine secondary prevention in all patients with cardiovascular diseases, unless contraindicated. AT1 receptor blockers have been recently added to the cardiovascular therapeutic armamentarium. They are believed to provide additional protection by inhibition of locally synthesized angiotensin II on the level of AT1 receptor. The ELITE II, ValHeFT and CHARM studies have shown that AT1 receptor blockers are equally effective as ACEI in reduction of mortality and morbidity in patients with HF. Importantly, they may be used together with ACEI, or as alternative treatment in ACEI intolerant patients. Renal protection is another important effect of both ACEI and AT1 blockers that has been confirmed in several large clinical trials. The North American Microalbuminemia Study group and EUCLID group demonstrated significant reduction in progression of diabetic nephropathy in patients with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) treated with ACEI. AT1 receptor blockers are mainly studied in the non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) nephropathy. Four recent clinical trials (IRMA-2, DETAIL, RENAAL and IDNT) examined the effect of AT1 receptor blockers in patients with NIDDM nephropathy. These studies confirmed the beneficial effect of AT1 receptor blockers in patients with NIDDM nephropathy that was extended beyond the blood pressure reduction. Ongoing studies (ONTARGET, TRANSCEND and PROTECTION) should provide us with additional insights about cardiovascular, renal and other end-organ protective effects of these therapeutics.
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PMID:Role of renin angiotensin system inhibitors in cardiovascular and renal protection: a lesson from clinical trials. 1750 19

Treatment of hypertension with angiotensin II receptor antagonists (AIIA) was first limited to diabetics and patients with microalbuminuria. So far, results of several large clinical trials with AIIAs were published, confirming significant renoprotective effect of these agents compared to placebo (RENAAL and IRMA), amlodipin (MARVAL and IDNT) and a combination of ACEI and AIIA (CALM). In 2002, results of 2 large comparator studies in hypertension were published: LIFE - Losartan Intervention For Endpoints and SCOPE - the Study on COgnition and Prognosis in Elderly hypertensives. In 2003, a series of the CHARM studies involving patients with heart failure were published and, from than, AIIA have been used as an alternative to ACEI or in a combination with ACEI. MOSES study - Morbidity and mortality after stroke, eprosartan compared with nitrendipine for secondary prevention - results were published in 2005 and ONTARGET study, focusing on secondary prevention of ischemic heart disease, was published in 2008. The CORD study - Comparison of recommended doses - and the ACTIVE I study (AF Clopidogrel Trial with Irbesartan for prevention of Vascular Events) were published in 2009. Candesartan was used in the CALM, SCOPE, RESOLVED and CHARM studies, irbesartan in the IRMA, IDNT and ACTIVE I.
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PMID:[AII antagonists (candesartan and irbesartan) in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases]. 2312 Oct 62