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

Relatively selective alpha 2-adrenoceptor agonists have proven useful in a variety of therapeutic situations including hypertension, glaucoma and withdrawal from opiate addiction. In particular, oxymetazoline (OXY) and UK14,304 (UK) have been used in subclassifying alpha 2-adrenoceptors and imidazoline receptors. We evaluated the cardiovascular effects of OXY and UK in conscious and pithed rats in the presence and absence of efaroxan (EFA), idazoxan (IDA) and rauwolscine (RAU). Both OXY or UK (1, 5 and 10 micrograms/kg, i.v.) increased blood pressure (BP) and reduced heart rate (HR) in conscious rats. In pithed rats, OXY and UK each increased BP to a greater extent than that observed in conscious rats, but HR was not affected. BP increases following sympathetic nerve stimulation in the pithed rats were not affected by OXY but were reduced by UK at 0.1 Hz and 0.3 Hz. HR responses to nerve stimulation in pithed rats were reduced after OXY at all frequencies, but only at 0.1 Hz following UK. EFA, IDA and RAU inhibited the pressor responses of UK, with EFA being most potent. OXY-induced pressor responses were inhibited by all three antagonists, RAU being the least potent. HR responses to either OXY or UK were not affected by the antagonists. Taken together, the data suggest that: 1) alpha 2-adrenoceptors contribute less to the vascular response to OXY than to UK based upon the antagonistic effect of RAU; 2) prejunctional I1 receptors maybe more prevalent in the heart than in vascular tissue based upon the response to OXY in pithed rats. Thus, the heterogeneity among receptors mediating cardiac and vascular responses are complex.
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PMID:Cardiovascular effects of oxymetazoline and UK14,304 in conscious and pithed rats. 914 Jul 7

The causes of intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) are multiple, involving many different factors. Studies in humans and animals have shown that the maternal environment is the most important determinant of newborn weight, accounting for more similarity in birth weights of siblings than does genetic affinity. In addition to a direct relationship with the degree of maternal plasma volume expansion, many clinical factors are associated with IUGR. These factors include multiple gestation; fetal, genetic, and chromosomal anomalies (Down's syndrome and Turner's syndrome); infections such as TORCH syndrome (acronym for toxoplasmosis, rubella, cytomegalic disease, and herpes); and various maternal disorders including anemia, severe chronic asthma, chronic renal disease, heart disease and hypertension. Maternal stress factors, including narcotic addiction, cigarette smoking and chronic alcoholism, are associated with IUGR. Placental anomalies including hemangiomas, placental infarcts, single umbilical artery, and small placental size are also associated with intrauterine growth retardation. Poor nutritional status of the mother at conception and inadequate energy and protein intakes during pregnancy can also result in IUGR. Because IUGR children are not a homogeneous group, they have a broad spectrum of growth, health, and developmental outcomes. In general they have higher rates of subnormal growth, morbidity, and neurodevelopmental problems. The biomedical mechanisms reflected in nutritional, infection-related, hormonal, and metabolic parameters are not likely to be independent causative factors of IUGR, but important mediating factors of a pathologic process set in motion by other agents and insults. This paper focuses mainly on the possible negative effects that a deficient maternal diet might have on fetal development and growth.
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PMID:Biological mechanisms of environmentally induced causes of IUGR. 951 Oct 16

The purpose of this study was to evaluate alcohol consumption among adolescents from Tucuman, Argentina, and to determine its possible relationship with increased levels of blood pressure. Three hundred fifty-six students aged 13-18 included in the study were asked to answer questionnaires anonymously. Two blood pressures measures were then taken. Differences between both sexes were found in quantity and frequency of alcohol consumption. Enjoyment was determined to be the main reason for drinking. There was an association between frequency and alcohol-related problems, and smoking habits. There were also differences in blood pressure among males and females. A weak, but significant, relationship between quantity/frequency index and diastolic blood pressure was found. A greater prevalence of hypertension in male heavy drinkers was noted as well. Because this addiction implies multiple social problems and it also accounts for a hypertension risk factor, the importance of aiming at developing prevention strategies for alcohol abuse among adolescents is stressed.
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PMID:Alcohol drinking and blood pressure among adolescents. 965 Jun 29

The association of cocaine and acute hypertension is well known; however, cocaine use has not generally been linked to chronic hypertension. We hypothesized that chronic use of cocaine over time would increase the prevalence of hypertension and that cocaine induced vasoconstriction would result in urine protein leakage, manifested by microalbuminuria. Therefore, we studied a population of predominantly black male patients admitted for addiction treatment whose drug of dependence was cocaine. A urine toxicology screen was considered positive if cocaine was detected within 24 h prior to or during admission to the hospital. A total of 301 patients with normal renal function were observed over their 2 week hospitalization. The majority (62%) of the patients were normotensive regardless of the status of their initial urine toxicology screen. Twenty percent of the population had acutely elevated blood pressure that normalized within 1 day, whereas 18% had blood pressure chronically >140/90 mm Hg (chronic hypertension). Levels of systolic and diastolic blood pressures were examined at age deciles and compared to the NHANES III (Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) data for a predominantly black population. There was no significant difference in blood pressure with age in the cocaine users compared to the NHANES groups. Random urine samples were screened for the presence of microalbuminuria and no significant elevation was detected in any of the samples tested. We conclude that chronic cocaine use is associated with acute but not chronic hypertension in middle-aged black males. Cocaine use does not cause microalbuminuria.
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PMID:Prevalence of hypertension in chronic cocaine users. 983 69

The relationship between alcohol consumption and all-cause mortality is J-shaped in most industrialized countries. The J-shape is the result of the combination of adverse and beneficial effects of alcohol consumption. Adverse effects include several types of cancer (oropharyngeal, oesophageal, liver, laryngeal and breast cancer), other diseases of the aerodigestive tract, diseases of the heart (alcoholic cardiomyopathy, haemorrhagic stroke, arrhythmia, hypertension), addiction-related mental disorders, and accidents and injuries. Beneficial effects are for ischaemic heart disease and ischaemic stroke. The exact shape of the all-cause mortality curve in a given region depends upon the proportion of the population consuming alcohol at different levels, especially heavy consumption, and on the prevalence of the disorders named above. Thus regions with a relatively low prevalence of ischaemic cardiovascular disease show almost no benefits of consumption, and an all-cause mortality curve which is almost exponential. Females experience a minimum mortality risk at a level of alcohol intake which is lower than that associated with the minimum risk for men. Similarly, an upturn in mortality risk occurs at lower intake levels for women than for men. At present, there is no satisfactory explanation for the observation that the shape of the mortality curve varies with the consumption level of the cohort under study. Heavier-drinking cohorts tend to display their minimum risk at relatively higher levels of alcohol intake than cohorts with lower alcohol consumption.
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PMID:Alcohol and all-cause mortality: an overview. 994 96

The records of admissions to the inpatient unit of a Rural Wisconsin Addiction Treatment Unit were reviewed, in 1995, for the prior four years (January 1, 1990 through December 31, 1993). After approval by the Institutional Review Board of the Marshfield Medical Research Foundation, the combined medical records were abstracted for presenting information related to social, psychological and medical components. During the four years of observation, there were 821 unique admissions of which 555 (67.6%) were males with a mean age for males and females of 36.3 years. Gender was related to marital status with males more likely to be single and females more likely to be formerly married. Seventy-one (12.8%) of the males were permanently disabled but only 17 (6.4%) of the females. Manufacturing was an occupation for 101 (18.2%) of the males, and 23 (8.6%) of the females considered themselves primarily homemakers. Of the laboratory parameters, only red cell related parameters of MCV and MCH were related to gender. At the time of admission, 99 (37.2%) of the females and 152 (27.4%) of the males were under medical care. One hundred and thirty-two (49.6%) of the females had been a victim of physical assault compared to 89 (16.1%) of the males. A history of disorderly conduct was noted in 274 (49.5%) of the males and 84 (31.6%) of the females. During the period of withdrawal, high blood pressure was noted in 110 (19.9%) of males and 25 (9.4%) of the females. The RAATE estimate of medical and psychological parameters were also related to gender. In this rural setting, the females admitted for treatment were significantly different from males. A substantially higher proportion had previously been victims of physical assault. In addition, females were more likely to have acknowledged psychological problems and to be under medical care. Treatment plans for persons with addiction need to address these issues and plan appropriate treatments.
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PMID:Relationship of gender to characteristics of patients referred to a Rural Wisconsin Addiction Treatment Unit. 1005 Jan 54

The use of synthesis drugs is the object of numerous written articles and TV programs in the last, decade. These synthesis drugs or "designer drugs", are well known for their ability to enhance, reinforce or appease social difficulties and relationships. In the research for empathetic and entactogenic relations one discover an obvious lack of communication and "warmth" in personal or professional relationship. An image of chemical "well being" has become a frequent stereotype of a society with an atrophying of performance and values while supposedly dedicating itself to individual performance. The youths are the first victims of these new drugs, the economical and social environment are the main reinforcing factors of this behaviour. The main characteristic of these drugs, is the non-recognition of their danger, some users go so far as to describe this category of substances as "drugs which are not drugs". As a characteristic, the use of a these synthesis drugs is almost recreative, during the week-end and holiday. The drug addiction is different than that of opiates or cocaine. One can observe some cases of real dependence--corresponding to the DSW IV criterion--when the personality of the users is the main characteristic (narcissic failure, immature personality, family and school problems). Many adverse effects--hypertension, kidney failure, psychoses--were declared. The mass-media has presented many articles concerning Ecstasy (MDMA). This is the most used drug during the rave parties. Its adverse effects are well known and proven. The authors would like to present other more recent synthesis drugs, also known as "analogs". These drugs, a kind of mixture between amphetamine-like (MDMA, MBDB, MDA) and misused medicines (ketamine, gamma OH, atropine) represent a real danger. GHB, 2 CB, HMB, are some of these recent substances. The possibility to procure them on the Web, or to produce them by oneself, add to their danger because of the lack of controls on toxicity and quality. The original danger signs were revealed by the FDA and currently a major preoccupation within french specialised services. The major problem for the practitionner is to inform the users, in order to prevent addiction and analyse the solutions.
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PMID:[New synthesis empathogenic agents]. 1059 16

The main reason for our decreasing population number--a most remarkable indicator of the inadequacy of our health culture--is the high rate of overall mortality. In its background one finds a number of risk factors of high prevalence, such as hypertension disease, addiction pathology, reduced stress tolerance as well as physical and psychic inactivity. Patterns of life that are positive are scarce and as yet not attractive or efficient. The spirit of primary prevention is yet far from permeating medicine; the most the clinical side did realize has been a recognition of the population's need for regular medical screenings. A completely new approach that involves prevention programs embracing the whole of society, and an elaboration of new strategies are badly needed to achieve a desirable change in the present set of values. One of the already available remedies is to give full and science-based support to the positive life patterns in our culture, for instance by demonstrating how physiology can be applied to human life, by putting the latter within a broader scope, namely that of psychophysiology and social psychology. In this framework the elements to be discussed are such aspects of culture as dietary habits, physical exercise, and mental and sexual hygiene. Placing greater emphasis on sports and intense habitual physical exercise can promote a healthier lifestyle, above all in our youth.
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PMID:An approach to primary prevention from the aspect of applied physiology. 1094 50

The contexts of adherence for African Americans with high blood pressure African American men between the ages of 18 and 49 years have the lowest rates of awareness, treatment and control of high blood pressure (HBP) of all age/race/gender groups in the United States. A qualitative study was done to gain an understanding of urban black males' experiences of living with HBP. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 19 black males. The interviews explored perceptions of health, health problems and priorities, and concerns of daily living that influenced appointment keeping and medication taking. The sample was a subset of 309 men participating in a 3-year clinical trial to improve HBP control in an inner city African-American population. Content analysis of transcribed interviews identified the following themes and related concerns: (a) personal contexts: meaning of health, high blood pressure and treatments; (b) social context: living as a young black male in an urban environment; and (c) cultural context of relating: patient-provider relationship can make a difference. Influencing participants' responses were: interpreting symptoms; adjusting medication taking; protecting personal privacy; allocating limited resources; dealing with addiction; and feeling cared for by a health care provider. Adherence appeared to be multifaceted and changing depending upon: the men's social, economic and personal circumstances; empathetic and non-judgemental assistance from providers; financial concerns and employment; and drug addiction. Findings are useful in refining high blood pressure interventions.
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PMID:The contexts of adherence for African Americans with high blood pressure. 1101

Doping consists in the use of artificial means or substances with the unique aim of improving performance despite adverse effects on health. Amphetamines stimulate the central nervous system by increasing motivation and vigilance. Often consumed in association with analgesics, they increase the fatigue threshold during prolonged or repeated exercise. Addiction and dependency to these substances are extremely rapid. Side-effects include insomnia, exhaustion, violence and can lead to serious heart diseases. By enhancing capacity for intensive training, anabolic steroids improve strength, alertness and speed. This action is often further strengthened by the use of growth hormones DHEA and IGF-1. Extremely high dosage is used and is in no way comparable with natural secretions or those necessary to re-balance an exhausted glandular system. During prolonged endurance exercise, doping aims at improving the circulation of oxygen in the blood and thus its availability to the muscles. Firstly, the blood haemoglobin concentration was increased by blood transfusions. At present the production of red blood cells is stimulated by repeated injections of exogenous erythropoietin. The extreme viscosity of the blood leads to a risk of vascular thromboses and high blood pressure and accentuates greatly and sometimes even fatally the possibility of brachycardia which is common with sportsmen.
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PMID:[Doping in sports]. 1142 Nov 66


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