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Query: UMLS:C0020538 (hypertension)
 170,190 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) induces the concomitant secretion of glucocorticoids (GC) and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) from the adrenal cortex. Whereas GC are catabolic, DHEA is anabolic. Long-term GC administration may result in some deleterious side-effects, such as muscular weakness, atrophy and necrosis, diabetes, fattiness, osteopenia, osteoporosis and avascular necrosis and susceptibility to infections. DHEA ameliorates some deleterious effects of GC, such as diabetes, amino acid deamination, fattiness, hypertension and susceptibility to viraemia. By its anabolic effects in muscles, bones and endothelium, DHEA may diminish the severity of GC-induced myopathy, osteopenia, osteoporosis and avascular necrosis. The natural concomitant secretion of DHEA with GC probably enables the latter to protect the body from ill-effects of stress without exerting their deleterious potency. DHEA secretion diminishes during aging and severe or chronic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects of GC and androgens, including DHEA, are now well established. On the other hand, administration of GC inhibits ACTH secretion, involutes the adrenal cortex and results in further DHEA deficiency, particularly harmful in chronic autoimmune diseases (i.e. RA, SLE). Therefore, the deleterious side-effects of chronic administration of GC emerges from both their direct catabolic activity and the suppression of DHEA production. Whereas, in males, most androgens come from the testes, in females, under GC supplementation, DHEA deficiency leads to nullification of the androgen-dependent anabolism, leaving them exposed to the GC-catabolic effects to a larger extent. The viewpoint presented here claims that under chronic GC supplementation, DHEA replacement therapy may reduce damage caused by GC administration.
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PMID:Should dehydroepiandrosterone replacement therapy be provided with glucocorticoids? 1040 66

To appraise clinicians of the problems that may be encountered in the diagnosis and management of Cushing's syndrome, we present a case report of a 20-year old female, who was admitted with a recently developed central obesity, ammenorrhea hirsuitism, proximal myopathy and depression. She was found to have multiple striae, thin skin, elevated blood pressure glycosuria and hyperglycaemia. Morning and mid-night plasma cortisol concentrations revealed elevated levels, with a loss of diurnal variation. There was a failure of the normal suppressibility of cortisol secretion by low doses of dexamethasone, while a significant suppression of plasma cortisol concentration was observed with high doses of dexamethasone. There were no significant abnormalities observed in the pituitary fossa on skull radiograph and on the cranial computerised tomographic scan. After a period of stabilisation, she had a bilateral adrenalectomy done, with a histopathological finding of a left adrenal macronodular hyperplasia, while the right adrenal gland was small and friable. There was an uneventful post-operative period, with a gradual return to normality of most of the presenting complaints. The hyperglycaemia and hypertension got controlled without medications, while her menstrual cycles resumed within three months of bilateral adrenalectomy. This case report illustrates that an adrenal-dependent Cushing's syndrome may mimic a pituitary-dependent one, especially as regards the suppressibility of plasma cortisol secretion by high doses of dexamethasone.
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PMID:Unilateral macronodular adrenal hyperplasia as an unusual cause of Cushing's syndrome--a case study. 1050 70

There are many case reports regarding unexpected circulatory responses such as hypertension, dysarrythmias, pulmonary edema and catecholamine myopathy, following infiltration of epinephrine into surgical fields. These cases occurred under general anesthesia, whereas we report a case which occurred with local anesthetic use only, with manifested severe circulatory system response to a small dose of epinephrine administered with lidocaine. The case is a 53 year old female with tongue cancer. A skinflap of the formerly operated tongue was infiltrated with 4 ml of 0.5% lidocaine and 0.0005% epinephrine for local anesthesia and hemostasis prophylaxis. Soon thereafter, the patient developed ventricular tachycardia, severe hypertension and pulmonary edema, but was treated successfully. It is important to recognize the risk of severe circulatory system response which may be elicited by a small dose of epinephrine contained in local anesthetics whether under general anesthesia or not.
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PMID:[Circulatory disaster following infiltration of epinephrine contained in local anesthetic]. 1051 82

A female patient was treated with high-dose inhaled fluticasone propionate for her asthma. Over 2 years, she developed features of Cushing's syndrome with proximal myopathy, osteopenia, hypertension, depressive psychosis, and cushingoid appearance. She had biochemical evidence of marked adrenal suppression with a 9:00 AM serum cortisol of 20 nmol/L that returned to normal (315 mol/L) after her therapy was changed to budenoside, 0.8 mg/d. Her appearance, mental state, and myopathy also improved with no loss of asthma control. This case illustrates the potential for developing clinically relevant adverse effects of inhaled corticosteroids when given at licensed doses.
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PMID:Asthma and Cushing's syndrome. 1066 10

Although nonsecreting suprarenal embryonic remnants are frequently found in the urogenital tract, adenomatous transformation resulting in glucocorticoid excess is a rare phenomenon. We report a case of a 63-yr-old woman that presented with new-onset hirsutism, facial plethora, hypertension, centripetal obesity, and a proximal myopathy. The 24-h urinary free cortisol excretion rate was elevated, and the serum ACTH level was suppressed. The patient failed an overnight and low dose dexamethasone suppression test and did not respond to CRH stimulation. In light of the undetectable baseline morning ACTH levels and the blunt response to CRH, the diagnosis of corticotropin-independent Cushing's syndrome was made. Imaging studies revealed normal adrenal glands and enlargement of a left pararenal nodule incidentally observed 4 yr before the onset of symptoms. Dramatic resolution of symptoms was observed after surgical removal of the 3.5-cm mass. Pathological exam confirmed adrenocortical adenoma in ectopic adrenal tissue. The case reported here represents the unusual circumstance in which the development of adenomatous transformation of ectopic adrenal tissue has been prospectively observed with imaging studies. It illustrates the importance of considering ectopic corticosteroid-secreting tumors in the context of corticotropin-independent Cushing's syndrome.
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PMID:Corticotropin-independent Cushing's syndrome caused by an ectopic adrenal adenoma. 1094 1

We report a 46-year-old man with primary aldosteronism presenting hypokalemia, periodic paralysis and hypokalemic myopathy whose clinical course paralleled with the dosage of benidipine hydrochloride, a dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker (DHP-CCB), administered for the treatment of hypertension. To see relations between DHP-CCB and episodes of motor weakness in patients with primary aldosteronism, we surveyed retrospectively the history of motor weakness and anti-hypertensive drugs in 14 consecutive cases with primary aldosteronism in our institute. Five patients out of 11 cases (45.5%) who had received DHP-CCB experienced muscle weakness, however, the rest of three patients receiving other anti-hypertensive drug had not experienced weakness. Though, less attention has been paid as thiazide diuretics, it is reported that DHP-CCB also induces hypokalemia through several mechanisms. However, the occurrence of motor weakness by DHP-CCB is very rare. Our results show that primary aldosteronism should be taken into account when we encounter patients manifesting episodic motor weakness by the use of DHP-CCB.
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PMID:[A case of primary aldosteronism presenting hypokalemic myopathy induced by benidipine hydrochloride; a dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker]. 1100 26

Placebo controlled trials have demonstrated that a tapering course of corticosteroids is an effective therapy for active Crohn's disease. A population-based study of 109 patients with Crohn's disease undergoing their first course of corticosteroids showed that, at the end of one year, 44% of patients were steroid responsive, 36% were steroid dependent and 20% were steroid refractory. Side effects occur frequently during a four-month tapering course of corticosteroids, including moon face, acne, infection, ecchymoses, hypertension, hirsutism, petechial bleeding and striae. More serious side effects occur with long term use, including hypertension, diabetes, infection, osteonecrosis, osteoporosis, myopathy, cataracts, glaucoma and psychosis. Low dose corticosteroids, alternate-day corticosteroids and mesalamine (5-aminosalicylate) are not effective steroid-sparing agents in patients with Crohn's disease. Controlled ileal release budesonide, 6 mg/day, is an effective steroid-sparing agent, but it does result in some decrease in adrenal function. Azathioprine, 6-mercaptopurine and methotrexate are all effective steroid-sparing agents, as is the humanized, anti-tumour necrosis factor monoclonal antibody, CDP571. A preliminary, uncontrolled study has suggested that the mouse/human chimeric monoclonal antibody infliximab may also be steroid sparing. Surgical resection is an effective strategy to reduce steroid use in the short to intermediate term, but postoperative reoccurrence of Crohn's disease occurs frequently. Given the morbidity associated with prolonged corticosteroid use, medical and surgical treatment strategies to reduce steroid use should be employed routinely.
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PMID:Steroid-dependent Crohn's disease. 1102 56

The renin-angiotensin system is upregulated with diabetes, and this may contribute to the development of a dilated myopathy. Angiotensin II (Ang II) locally may lead to oxidative damage, activating cardiac cell death. Moreover, diabetes and hypertension could synergistically impair myocardial structure and function. Therefore, apoptosis and necrosis were measured in ventricular myocardial biopsies obtained from diabetic and diabetic-hypertensive patients. Accumulation of a marker of oxidative stress, nitrotyrosine, and Ang II labeling were evaluated quantitatively. The diabetic heart showed cardiac hypertrophy, cavitary dilation, and depressed ventricular performance. These alterations were more severe with diabetes and hypertension. Diabetes was characterized by an 85-fold, 61-fold, and 26-fold increase in apoptosis of myocytes, endothelial cells, and fibroblasts, respectively. Apoptosis in cardiac cells did not increase additionally with diabetes and hypertension. Diabetes increased necrosis by 4-fold in myocytes, 9-fold in endothelial cells, and 6-fold in fibroblasts. However, diabetes and hypertension increased necrosis by 7-fold in myocytes and 18-fold in endothelial cells. Similarly, Ang II labeling in myocytes and endothelial cells increased more with diabetes and hypertension than with diabetes alone. Nitrotyrosine localization in cardiac cells followed a comparable pattern. In spite of the difference in the number of nitrotyrosine-positive cells with diabetes and with diabetes and hypertension, apoptosis and necrosis of myocytes, endothelial cells, and fibroblasts were detected only in cells containing this modified amino acid. In conclusion, local increases in Ang II with diabetes and with diabetes and hypertension may enhance oxidative damage, activating cardiac cell apoptosis and necrosis.
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PMID:Myocardial cell death in human diabetes. 1111 Jul 69

Renal replacement treatment options are life-saving treatments for patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). However, prolonged survival in patients with ESRD is associated with various functional and morphological disorders from almost all systems. Anaemia, deconditioning, cardiac dysfunction. impairment of cardiac autonomic control and skeletal muscle weakness and fatigue, primarily because of 'uraemic' myopathy and neuropathy, are the main predisposing factors for their poor functional ability. Physical training is being recommended as a complementary therapeutic modality. There are generally 3 methods of exercise training applied in patients with ESRD: (i) the supervised outpatient programme that is held in a rehabilitation centre; (ii) a home exercise rehabilitation programme; and (iii) exercise rehabilitation programme during the first hours of the haemodialysis treatment in the renal unit. All the available training data show that the application of an exercise training programme in patients with ESRD enhances their physical fitness. This improvement is due to central and mainly peripheral adaptations. Exercise training in these patients increases aerobic capacity, causes favourable left ventricular functional adaptations, reduces blood pressure in patients with hypertension, modifies other coronary risk factors, increases the cardiac vagal activity and suppresses the incidence of cardiac arrhythmias. Moreover, exercise training has beneficial effects on muscle structural and functional abnormalities. These central and peripheral adaptations to exercise training cause an increase in their functional capacity and offer them achance of a better quality of life. Moreover, exercise training improves exercisee tolerance of renal post-transplant patients.
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PMID:Central and peripheral adaptations to physical training in patients with end-stage renal disease. 1150 21

Polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) is a necrotizing arteritis of small and medium-sized vessels. It may present with hypertension and/or renal insufficiency. Peripheral neuropathy, myopathy, joint pains, testicular pain, and ischemic myalgias may also be seen. Gastrointestinal involvement may lead to gangrene of the bowel, peritonitis, perforation, intra-abdominal hemorrhage, and pancreatitis. The cutaneous manifestations include tender subcutaneous nodules grouped along the course of superficial arteries of the lower extremities, with or without an overlying livedo reticularis. Although multisystem involvement is characteristic, sometimes only one organ or system may be involved. Associations with viral hepatitis (both B and C) and streptococcal infection have been established for PAN. Recurrent strep infections of the upper respiratory tract, streptococcal glomerulonephritis and rheumatic fever have previously been linked to PAN. This report extends the spectrum of associated streptococcal infections to include necrotizing fasciitis.
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PMID:Cutaneous polyarteritis nodosa after streptococcal necrotizing fasciitis. 1151 22


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