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Query: UMLS:C0018801 (heart failure)
 72,216 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Congestive heart failure is associated with ventricular hypertrophy and dilatation, increased circulating catecholamines, and peripheral vasoconstriction. The extent to which these changes occur, whether they are a favorable "compensatory mechanism" or contribute to cardiocirculatory dysfunction, depends on the cause and severity of the heart failure. The addition of new sarcomeres through ventricular hypertrophy distributes the excess workload of the failing ventricle over more contractile units. In ventricular pressure overload, hypertrophy primarily increases wall thickness and ventricular volume is not usually increased; the converse is true with ventricular volume overload. Hypertrophy can result in enhanced or depressed contractile performance, depending on the stimulus for hypertrophy and method by which contractility is evaluated. The "ventricular function curve," which relates stroke volume to ventricular filling pressure or volume, overestimates the role played by the "Starling principle" as a compensatory mechanism and underestimates how well contractile performance is preserved. The evaluation of end systolic pressure-volume relationships under conditions of variable afterload closely reflects the isometric length-tension relationship and is therefore a more accurate way to quantitate cardiac muscle performance. Pressure overload hypertrophy usually leads to a depression in contractility whereas volume overload may not. An exaggerated sympathoadrenal response is another hallmark of severe heart failure that enhances contractility, helps initiate hypertrophy, and maintains arterial perfusion pressure. A generalized increase in peripheral vascular resistance occurs and is most prominent in those circulations most susceptible to neurohumoral control (renal, splanchnic, cutaneous). This favors perfusion of the cerebral and coronary circulations. Vasoconstriction is further enhanced by the activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and secretion of ADH. This results in sodium retention and plasma volume expansion. In early mild heart failure, vasomotor tone may be normal at rest; however, the sympathoadrenal response to exercise may be intense. Moderate alpha receptor stimulation reduces skeletal muscle blood supply and favors the intramuscular redistribution of blood flow from inactive to active muscle fibers, thereby maintaining a normal oxygen consumption. During the later stages of heart failure, increased vascular stiffness due to increased sodium content and excessive norepinephrine appears to restrict nutritional blood flow to exercising muscle at the conductance-vessel level. Vasodilator drugs may reduce aortic impedance and improve cardiac output, may lower ventricular filling pressure, and relieve congestive symptoms, and may result in complex but favorable changes in the distribution of blood flow to the regional circulations.
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PMID:Cardiocirculatory dynamics in the normal and failing heart. 645 90

Poisonings with industrial products represent approximately 7% of the cases reported to the poison centres. Ingestion of petroleum distillates induces irritation of the gastrointestinal tract, central nervous system depression and aspiration pneumonitis which may be severe; treatment is mainly supportive. Ethylene and diethylene glycol poisonings produce central nervous system depression, anion gap metabolic acidosis, osmolar gap and acute tubular necrosis; in severe cases, hypocalcaemia, cerebral oedema and heart failure may be observed; treatment often associates supportive measures, haemodialysis and administration of competitive inhibitors of alcohol dehydrogenase (ethanol or 4-methylpyrazole). Glycol ethers induce central nervous system depression and metabolic acidosis; in addition, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether produces haemolysis; monomethyl and monoethyl ethers are responsible for bone marrow and lymphoid organ toxicity, they adversely affect spermatogenesis and are teratogens.
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PMID:[Acute poisoning with industrial products]. 1074 68

Disorders of the serum sodium concentration (hypo- and hypernatremia) are amongst the most frequent electrolyte disorders in clinical medicine. They are attributable to disturbance of to water metabolism. Hyponatremia is almost always a condition of water excess while hypernatremia is due water deficiency. Physiological normonatremia (normal plasma osmolality) is maintained by an integrated system involving regulated water intake via thirst and control of water excretion via antidiuretic hormone secretion. Therefore hypo- and hypernatremia should be analyzed in terms of dysregulated ADH secretion, fluid intake and renal water excretion. Hyponatremia is usually a disorder of vasopressin excess, due to 'non-osmotic' vasopressin release. The latter may occur in two different settings: (I) SIADH, (II) baroreceptor mediated vasopressin secretion (cardiac failure, liver cirrhosis). This entities are easy to distinguish in clinical practice. SIADH is associated with striking lower plasma concentrations of urate, creatinine and urea. In SIADH the blood pressure is normal and there is no edema. In contrast in the hyponatremia of liver cirrhosis and heart failure the plasma measurements indicated are usually slightly elevated, the blood pressure is low and there is edema. The typical patient with hypernatremia is old and has no thirst sensation. Hypo- or hypernatremia may cause major neurologic symptoms. These symptoms are more related to the rate of change in the serum sodium concentration than to the absolute level of a hypo- or hypernatremia reached. The traditional treatment for hyponatremia used to be water restriction. However V2-Vasopressin-Antagonists may provide a better treatment modality in the future. Hypernatremia is treated by slow rehydratation.
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PMID:[Hyponatremia--with comments on hypernatremia]. 1089 27

Sympathetic overdrive in acute low cardiac output syndrome, diverts blood from cutaneous and visceral circulation centripetally. Microcirculation in general, and renal circulation in particular, deteriorates during these circulatory adjustments leading to multi-organ failure (MOF). Decreased afferent glomerular arteriolar blood flow, increased renal sympathetic nerve discharge and a resultant decreased sodium chloride delivery around macula densa stimulates the Juxta-glomerular apparatus (JGA) and triggers renin-angiotensin-aldosterone mechanism. This, along with increased ADH production results in a state of vasoconstriction, increased after-load, and continued fluid retention, further compromising the visceral microcirculation. Initially the fluid retention under the effect of aldosterone and ADH is iso-osmotic, but later under inappropriate ADH action more water than salt is retained, as evidenced by the presence of hyponatraemia and 'water-logging' in the endstage of this condition.The author hypothesizes that: although physiological, the persistent stimulation of the JGA during the low cardiac output state plays an important role in perpetuating a negative cardiovascular vicious cycle and further aggravating it into MOF. Furthermore, by infusing hypertonic saline and hence increasing the sodium chloride delivery to the distal tubules and the macula densa, the JGA could be inhibited. This strategy should work like angiotensin-converting-enzyme-inhibitor drugs in chronic cardiac failure, except by acting at the root cause and inhibiting Renin production at its source. It should further help by stimulating atrial natriuretic peptide secretion.
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PMID:Possible role of juxtaglomerular apparatus in low cardiac output syndrome and multiple organ failure: modulation by high sodium load. 1142 43

Ethyl alcohol (ethanol) is readily absorbed from all parts of the gastrointestinal tract due to its hydrophilic potential. The biological effects in humans refer to practically every organ and system. The basic enzyme involved in its oxidation is alcohol dehydrogenase. Another important metabolic pathway is the Microsomal Ethanol-Oxidizing System (MEOS). Toxic effect on basic cell functions is produced both by ethanol and acetic aldehyde, its oxidation product which accounts for most of the acute and delayed effects of ethanol toxicity. In acute ethanol intoxication's the CNS symptoms are the first to manifest. Ethanol affects the CNS functions mainly through stimulating opiate and benzodiazepine receptors and a number of neurotransmitters. However, the attempts to diminish the toxic effects of ethanol on CNS by blocking the affected receptors have proved to be ineffective. In acute poisoning a basic essential is to sustain vital functions by following the principles of intensive care. Each case of acute ethanol intoxication must be subject to neurological examination for possible cerebro-cranial traumas. The diagnostics and treatment procedures should take account of the possible symptoms: convulsions, respiratory and cardiac failure, hypoglycemia, hypothermia, and severe gastric dysfunction. Vital signs monitoring and control of acid-base and water-electrolyte balance are a must. The toxic properties of ethanol metabolites can be particularly hazardous to patients treated with disulfiram. The patients who develop "antabuse response" should be given immediately iron and vitamin C intravenously.
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PMID:[Biological and toxic effects of ethanol: diagnostics and treatment of acute poisonings]. 1456 85

Volume retention in heart failure, nephrotic syndrome, and liver cirrhosis reflects pathological changes in homeostatic mechanisms that regulate the extracellular volume (sympathetic activity, renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system [RAAS], natriuretic peptides) and plasma osmolality (antidiuretic hormone [ADH]). In heart failure and liver cirrhosis, these changes are induced by a reduction of the effective circulating volume, which is the part of the extracellular fluid that is within the arterial system and effectively perfusing the tissues. This reduction in the effective circulating volume is caused by reduced cardiac output (heart failure), or by splanchnic vasodilatation with arterial underfilling (liver cirrhosis). In both cases, baroreceptors in both the carotid sinuses and in the glomerular afferent arterioles upregulate RAAS- and sympathetic activity, resulting in systemic vasoconstriction and renal sodium (and volume) retention. More severe reductions in the effective circulating volume may additionally stimulate ADH release, thus increasing the reabsorption of free water with subsequent hyponatriemia. In nephrotic syndrome, volume retention results either directly from the primary renal disease, which induces renal sodium and volume retention ("overfilling"), or indirectly from the reduced plasma oncotic pressure due to hypoalbuminemia, which induces a fluid shift from the intravascular to the interstitial space ("underfilling") with subsequent acitivation of baroreceptors and secondary sodium and volume retention.
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PMID:[Volume retention in heart failure, nephrotic syndrome, and liver cirrhosis]. 1700 41

Vasopressin is a critical regulator of water homeostasis. There are two major receptors for vasopressin: V1 and V2 receptors. Disturbances in water balance are commonly encountered in clinical practice and can be divided into disorders of urinary dilution and concentration. The major representatives of such disorders are diabetes insipidus and the syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone (SI ADH). Recent studies show that genetic forms of nephrogenic diabetes insipidus are due to mutations in the genes coding for the vasopressin V2 receptor (V2R) or aquaporin-2 (AQP2). Identification of the genes involved and analysis of the cellular fate of the V2R and AQP2 mutants are relevant for understanding the functioning of the V2R and AQP2 protein. These developments also have implications for future therapeutic options. The development of nonpeptide vasopressin receptor antagonists (VRAs) offers prospects for the treatment of euvolaemic (SI ADH) or hypervolaemic hyponatraemia (congestive heart failure or cirrhosis). Several nonpeptide VRAs are now in various stages of clinical trials. At present, only conivaptan is registered by the FD A for intravenous treatment of euvolaemic and hypervolaemic hyponatremia. A recent long-term study comparing tolvaptan with placebo in patients with chronic heart failure showed no reduction in risk of death and hospitalisation.
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PMID:Water in health and disease: new aspects of disturbances in water metabolism. 1795 51

The syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone (SIADH)/syndrome of inappropriate antidiuresis is characterized by a hypotonic hyponatremia, with an insufficiently diluted urine given the plasmatic hypoosmolality, in the absence of hypovolemia (with or without a third space), hypotension, renal or heart failure, cirrhosis of the liver, hypothyroidism, adrenal insufficiency, vomiting, or other non-osmotic stimuli of ADH secretion. The response of ADH to the infusion of hypertonic saline divides SIADH into 4 different types. In type D, there is no alteration in ADH secretion. Rather, the defect is the maintained permeability of kidney aquaporin-2 channels to water. Activating mutations of the V2 receptor have been identified. The most frequent cause of SIADH is the use of drugs that induce secretion of the hormone. Old age is per se a risk factor for its development. SIADH is underdiagnosed, and hospitalization often worsens the clinical situation, due to an iatrogenic excess in the use of oral and i.v. liquids, often hypotonic, together with a reduction in salt intake. Treatment is directed towards normalization of natremia when possible, together with the avoidance of both hyponatremic encephalopathy as well as the osmotic demyelinization syndrome. Cases of "appropriate" secretion of ADH with normovolemic hyponatremia and high mortality rates should be treated with the same urgency as SIADH--such is the case of post-surgical hyponatremia.
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PMID:[Current considerations in syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone/syndrome of inappropriate antidiuresis]. 2113 Sep 59

The non-peptide vasopressin antagonists (VPA), called vaptans, were developed in the 1990s to antagonize both the pressor and antidiuretic effects of vasopressin. There are three subtypes of VPA receptors: V1a, V1b and V2. V1a receptors are widely distributed in the body, mainly the blood vessels and myocardium. The V1b receptors are located mainly in the anterior pituitary gland and play a role in ACTH release. V2 receptors are located in the collecting tubular renal cells. Both V1a and V1b receptors act through the intracellular phosphoinositol signalling pathway, Ca(++) being the second messenger. V2 receptors work through AMPc generation, which promotes aquaporin 2 (AQP2) trafficking and allows water to enter the cell. The vaptans act competitively at the AVP receptor. The most important are mozavaptan, lixivaptan, satavaptan and tolvaptan, all of which are selective V2 antagonists and are administered through the oral route. In contrast, conivaptan is a dual V1 and V2 antagonist administered through the endovenous route. The main characteristics of vaptans are their effect on free water elimination without affecting electrolyte excretion. There are several studies on the effects of these drugs in hypervolemic hyponatremia (heart failure, hepatic cirrhosis) as well as in normovolemic hyponatremia (inappropriate secretion of ADH [SIADH]). Current studies show that the vaptans are effective and well tolerated, although knowledge of these drugs remains limited. There are no studies of the use of vaptans in severe hyponatremia. Osmotic demyelination syndrome due to excessively rapid correction of hyponatremia has not been described.
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PMID:[Vasopressin receptor antagonists: the vaptans]. 2113 Sep 61

Inactivating mutations of the V2 vasopressin receptor (V2R) cause cross-linked congenital nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (NDI), resulting in renal resistance to the antidiuretic hormone AVP. In two families showing partial NDI, characterized by an apparently normal response to diagnostic tests and an increase in the basal ADH levels suggesting AVP resistance, we have identified two V2R mutations, Ser-333del and Y128S. Both mutant V2Rs, when expressed in COS-7 cells, show partial defects in vasopressin-stimulated cAMP accumulation and intracellular localization. The inhibition of internalization does not rescue their localization. In contrast, the non-peptide V2R antagonists OPC41061 and OPC31260 partially rescue the membrane localization and basal function of these V2R mutants, whereas they inhibit the basal activity of the wild-type V2R. These results indicate that a partial loss of function of Ser-333del and Y128S mutant V2Rs results from defective membrane trafficking. These findings further indicate that V2R antagonists can act as protean agonists, serving as pharmacological chaperones for inactivating V2R mutants and also as inverse agonists of wild-type receptors. We speculate that this protean agonism could underlie the possible dual beneficial effects of the V2R antagonist: improvement of hyponatremia with heart failure or polycystic kidney disease and potential rescue of NDI.
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PMID:V2 vasopressin receptor (V2R) mutations in partial nephrogenic diabetes insipidus highlight protean agonism of V2R antagonists. 2214 72


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