Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0020538 (hypertension)
 170,190 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The prevalence of coronary artery disease (CAD) and the incidence of new coronary events are similar in older men and women. Independent risk factors for new coronary events in older women include age, prior CAD, cigarette smoking, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, high serum total cholesterol and triglycerides, and low serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Older women have a higher prevalence of hypertension than older men. In older women with hypertension, echocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy is a powerful independent predictor of new coronary events, atherothrombotic brain infarction, and congestive heart failure (CHF). Older women have a higher prevalence of rheumatic mitral stenosis and of mitral annular calcium than older men. Older women and men have a similar prevalence of valvular aortic stenosis, aortic regurgitation, mitral regurgitation, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. The prevalence and incidence of CHF increase with age. The prevalence of normal left ventricular ejection fraction associated with CHF increases with age and is higher in older women than in older men. The prevalence of chronic atrial fibrillation increases with age and is similar in older men and women. Atrial fibrillation is an independent predictor of new coronary events and thromboembolic stroke in older women. Older women with unexplained syncope should have 24-hour ambulatory electrocardiograms to determine whether pauses > 3 seconds are present, requiring permanent pacemaker implantation.
 ...
PMID:Prevalence of heart disease in older women in a nursing home. 986 88

A multicenter, retrospective study was undertaken to survey the prevalence of thromboembolism complicated with atrial fibrillation and the efficacy of treatment in both elderly and younger patients. The primary prevention group consisted of 1,810 patients without prior cerebral thromboembolism, and was divided into the elderly patient group (> or = 65 years old, 588 patients) and younger patient group (< 65 years old, 1,222 patients). The elderly group had higher prevalences of chronic atrial fibrillation (65.3% vs 56.4%, p < 0.001) and ischemic heart disease and hypertension (16.8% vs 9.3% and 34.2% vs 24.4%, respectively, p < 0.001) and lower prevalence of treatment with warfarin (9.2% vs 20.1%, p < 0.001). Elderly patients with mitral valve disease and hypertension had lower prevalence of treatment with warfarin as compared with younger patients (p < 0.001). This was also true for the secondary prevention group of 147 patients with prior history of cerebral infarction (p < 0.001). During the mean follow-up period of 4.6 years, patients with underlying cardiac diseases had a higher risk of thromboembolism compared with those without cardiac diseases for both the elderly (12.1% vs 6.1%, p < 0.05) and younger (7.5% vs 3.6%, p < 0.02) groups. Treatment with antiplatelets or warfarin could reduce the risk of thromboembolism in the elderly group (p < 0.1) and the younger group (p < 0.001). The risk of major hemorrhagic complication, i.e., gastrointestinal tract or intracranial hemorrhage, was quite low in patients receiving antithrombotic drugs. The present study indicates that the attitude toward the use of warfarin for prevention of thromboembolism is conservative and the risk of thromboembolism is higher in elderly patients with atrial fibrillation in Japan. Our attitude to the use of antithrombotic drugs in elderly patients with atrial fibrillation needs to be modified.
 ...
PMID:[Survey of atrial fibrillation and thromboembolism in the elderly: a multicenter cooperative study. Research Group for Antiarrhythmic Drug Therapy]. 1002 59

Although several studies demonstrated that the presence of significant mitral regurgitation was associated with reduced occurrence of thromboembolism, little data is available concerning the effect of mild mitral regurgitation on the occurrence of thromboembolic events. To evaluate the association between mild mitral regurgitation and thromboembolic events, we reviewed 232 patients' records between January 1996 and September 1997 who had nonrheumatic atrial fibrillation. There were 59 patients (25%) with mitral regurgitation > or = grade 2, 69 patients (30%) with grade 1 mitral regurgitation, and 104 patients (45%) with no mitral regurgitation. Patients with grade 1 mitral regurgitation had significantly higher prevalence of thromboembolic events (28%) than those with mitral regurgitation > or = grade 2 (8%, P=0.006) or those with no mitral regurgitation (11%, P=0.007). A history of previous thromboembolic events were compared between 173 patients with grade 1 mitral regurgitation and those with no mitral regurgitation using the logistic regression analysis adjusted for age, sex, administration of warfarin, and presence of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, structural heart disease, enlarged left atrium (> or = 40 mm), chronic atrial fibrillation, and grade 1 mitral regurgitation. Grade 1 mitral regurgitation (odds ratio=2.689, 95% confidence interval=1.039-7.189, P=0.0434) and no warfarin administration (odds ratio=0.045, 95% confidence interval=0.002-0.242, P=0.0036) were significantly associated with the history of thromboembolic events. The presence of mild mitral regurgitation in nonrheumatic atrial fibrillation was associated with higher prevalence of thromboembolic events.
 ...
PMID:Mild mitral regurgitation was associated with increased prevalence of thromboembolic events in patients with nonrheumatic atrial fibrillation. 1071 32

In North America, atrial fibrillation is associated with at least 75 000 ischemic strokes each year. Most of these strokes occur in patients older than 75 years of age. The high incidence of stroke in very elderly persons reflects the increasing prevalence of atrial fibrillation that occurs with advanced age, the high incidence of stroke in elderly patients, and the failure of physicians to prescribe antithrombotic therapy in most of these patients. This failure is related to the increased risk for major hemorrhage with advanced age, obfuscating the decision to institute stroke prophylaxis with antithrombotic therapy. This case-based review describes the risk and benefits of prescribing antithrombotic therapy for a hypothetical 80-year-old man who has atrial fibrillation and hypertension, and it offers practical advice on managing warfarin therapy. After concluding that the benefits of warfarin outweigh its risks in this patient, we describe how to initiate warfarin therapy cautiously and how to monitor and dose the drug. We then review five recent randomized, controlled trials that document the increased risk for stroke when an international normalized ratio (INR) of less than 2.0 is targeted among patients with atrial fibrillation. Next, we make the case that cardioversion is not needed for this asymptomatic patient with chronic atrial fibrillation. Instead, we choose to leave the patient in atrial fibrillation and to control his ventricular rate with atenolol. Later, when the INR increases to 4.9, we advocate withholding one dose of warfarin and repeating the INR test. Finally, when the patient develops dental pain, we review the analgesic agents that are safe to take with warfarin and explain why warfarin therapy does not have to be interrupted during a subsequent dental extraction.
 ...
PMID:Warfarin therapy for an octogenarian who has atrial fibrillation. 1125 22

In general, nonrheumatic atrial fibrillation is associated with a high risk of stroke. However, its impact on stroke in the setting of chronic hemodialysis treatment is insufficiently addressed in the literature. We assessed the incidence of stroke among 430 chronic hemodialysis patients and the impact of atrial fibrillation and various other potential risk factors on stroke in a retrospective study covering 1,111.16 patient-years. The overall incidence of stroke was 3.78/100 patient-years. Among patients with chronic atrial fibrillation without any antithrombotic therapy besides regular dialysis anticoagulation, the stroke incidence was 1.0/100 patient-years and did not differ statistically significantly from the rate among patients without this arrhythmia, in whom the incidence was 2.8/100 patient-years (p = 0.220). Conversely, the overall rate of stroke incidence per 100 patient-years was statistically significantly higher in patients with diabetic nephropathy (6.46, p = 0.0036), age > 65 years (5.90, p = 0.0001), moderate to severe hypertension (6.8, p = 0.0017), weight gain of > 2 kg between dialyses as a marker of poor patient compliance (6.47, p = 0.0433), and antithrombotic therapy with salicylates or warfarin (8.33, p = 0.0002), as compared with corresponding groups without these risk factors. Our data suggest that in contrast to other risk factors nonrheumatic atrial fibrillation in itself is not associated with an increased risk of stroke in patients on maintenance hemodialysis treatment.
 ...
PMID:Incidence of stroke among chronic hemodialysis patients with nonrheumatic atrial fibrillation. 1127 30

Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is supposed to be a useful marker of cardiovascular complications during the course of hypertension. Authors compared the presence of heart failure, left ventricular diastolic dysfunction and chronic atrial fibrillation in hypertensive patients with and without left ventricular hypertrophy defined by echocardiography. Hospital records of 192 hypertensives treated in our medical department during years 1996-1999 were analysed. Left ventricular hypertrophy was defined by echocardiography (Penn convention) as left ventricular mass index > 134 g/m2 in men and > 110 g/m2 in women. Presence of LVH was found in 128 patients (mean age 65.9 years), absence of LVH in 64 patients (mean age 64.8 years). Both groups of hypertensives were matched by demographic parameters, by the presence of hyperlipidemia, by smoking habits. Hypertensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy were more often treated by ACE inhibitors. There were statistically significant more patients with heart failure, left ventricular diastolic dysfunction and chronic atrial fibrillation in LVH-positive patients than in LVH-negative once. There was also statistically significant lower ejection fraction (50.3 +/- 11.4% vs 56.5 +/- 7.4%) in LVH-positive patients than in LVH-negative once. Left ventricular hypertrophy in patients with hypertension brings usually a complicated course of the disease with a high contribution to the development of chronic heart failure.
 ...
PMID:[Heart failure in hypertensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy]. 1149 79

The presence of diabetes mellitus and other risk factors of atherosclerosis, such as obesity, smoking and hyperlipidemia, in hypertensive patients makes the prognosis worse. Authors compared the clinical findings in diabetic hypertensive patients with and without left ventricular hypertrophy, the presence of which was diagnosed and defined by echocardiography. The study is based on the analysis of hospital records of 115 hypertensive patients treated at our department during the period 1998-1999. Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) was defined by echocardiography as left ventricular mass index > 134 g/m2 in men and > 110 g/m2 in women. Left ventricular hypertrophy was found in 79 patients (mean age 64.6 ys) but not in 36 patients (mean age 63.3 ys). Both groups were matched as to age and sex, intensity and duration of hypertension and diabetes, obesity, smoking and hyperlipidemia. In LVH-positive patients, there was a statistically significant incidence of heart failure, mitral regurgitation and renal involvement and a more non-significant incidence of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction, myocardial infarction, chronic atrial fibrillation and stroke than in LVH-negative ones. Left ventricular hypertrophy usually complicates the course of hypertension. Authors recommend to investigate the presence of left ventricular hypertrophy in hypertensives as it carries a much more complicated course of the disease. (Tab. 5, Ref. 28.)
 ...
PMID:Relation of left ventricular hypertrophy to cardiovascular complications in diabetic hypertensives. 1188 69

Although atrial fibrillation is not widely known by the general public, in developed countries it is the most common arrhythmia. The incidence increases markedly with advancing age. Thus, with the growing proportion of elderly individuals, atrial fibrillation will come to represent a significant medical and socioeconomic problem. The consequences of atrial fibrillation have the greatest impact. The risk of thromboembolism is well known; other outcomes of atrial fibrillation are less well recognised, such as its relationship with dementia, depression and death. Such consequences are responsible for diminished quality of life and considerable economic cost. Atrial fibrillation is characterised by rapid and disorganised atrial activity, with a frequency between 300 and 600 beats/minute. The ventricles react irregularly, and may contract rapidly or slowly depending on the health of the conduction system. Clinical symptoms are varied, including palpitations, syncope, dizziness or embolic events. Atrial fibrillation may be paroxysmal, persistent or chronic, and a number of attacks are asymptomatic. Suspicion or confirmation of atrial fibrillation necessitates investigation and, as far as possible, appropriate treatment of underlying causes such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hypoxia, hyperthyroidism and congestive heart failure. In the evaluation of atrial fibrillation, cardiac exploration is invaluable, including electrocardiogram (ECG) and echocardiography, with the aim of detecting cardiac abnormalities and directing management. In elderly patients (arbitrarily defined as aged >75 years), the management of atrial fibrillation varies; it requires an individual approach, which largely depends on comorbid conditions, underlying cardiac disease, and patient and physician preferences. This management is essentially based on pharmacological treatment, but there are also nonpharmacological options. Two alternatives are possible: restoration and maintenance of sinus rhythm, or control of ventricular rate, leaving the atria in arrhythmia. Pharmacological options include antiarrhythmic drugs, such as class III agents, beta-blockers and class IC agents. These drugs have some adverse effects, and careful monitoring is necessary. The nonpharmacological approach to atrial fibrillation includes external or internal direct-current cardioversion and new methods, such as catheter ablation of specific foci, an evolving science that has been shown to be successful in a very select group of atrial fibrillation patients. Another serious challenge in the management of chronic atrial fibrillation in older individuals is the prevention of stroke, its primary outcome, by choosing an appropriate antithrombotic treatment (aspirin or warfarin). Several risk-stratification schemes have been validated and may be helpful to determine the best antithrombotic choice in individual patients.
 ...
PMID:Atrial fibrillation in the elderly: facts and management. 1242 93

Incidence, determinants, and outcome of atrial fibrillation in hypertensive subjects are incompletely known. We followed for up to 16 years 2482 initially untreated subjects with essential hypertension. At entry, all subjects were in sinus rhythm. Subjects with valvular heart disease, coronary artery disease, preexcitation syndrome, thyroid disorders, or lung disease were excluded. During follow-up, a first episode of atrial fibrillation occurred in 61 subjects at a rate of 0.46 per 100 person-years. At entry, subjects with future atrial fibrillation differed (all P<0.05) from those without by age (59 versus 51 years), office, and 24-hour systolic blood pressure (165 and 144 versus 157 and 137 mm Hg, respectively), left ventricular mass (58 versus 49 g/height[m](2.7)), and left atrial diameter (3.89 versus 3.56 cm). Age and left ventricular mass (both P<0.001) were the sole independent predictors of atrial fibrillation. For every 1 standard deviation increase in left ventricular mass, the risk of atrial fibrillation was increased 1.20 times (95% CI, 1.07 to 1.34). Atrial fibrillation became chronic in 33% of subjects. Age, left ventricular mass, and left atrial diameter (all P<0.01) were independent predictors of chronic atrial fibrillation. Ischemic stroke occurred at a rate of 2.7% and 4.6% per year, respectively, among subjects with paroxysmal and chronic atrial fibrillation. These data indicate that in hypertensive subjects with sinus rhythm and no other major predisposing conditions, risk of atrial fibrillation increases with age and left ventricular mass. Increased left atrial size predisposes to chronicization of atrial fibrillation.
Hypertension 2003 Feb
PMID:Atrial fibrillation in hypertension: predictors and outcome. 1257 85

A 73-year old woman presented with mild paraparesis and hypesthesia of the legs. Furthermore, she complained dizziness, fainting and dyspnea. There was a history of peripheral artery disease, diabetes mellitus, arterial hypertension and chronic atrial fibrillation. Five years ago she had breast cancer with removal of the left mamma and additional radiation therapy. Cardiac catheterization at that time demonstrated no significant coronary stenoses. A contrast-enhanced CT-scan excluded lumbal spinal metastases. Instead, a subtotal occlusion of the abdominal aorta was noticed, but was initially interpreted as a chronic thrombosis because there were no typical symptoms and only moderate pain. About 24 hours later the patient developed an acute ischemic syndrome of the legs with progressive paraparesis, cold and pale legs in combination with acidosis and hyperventilation. Color-coded duplex ultrasound showed only a small turbulent flow in the ilial arteries, highly suspicious of a complete occlusion of the distal aorta. Angiography revealed an acute total occlusion of the infrarenal aorta without collaterals. During surgical intervention, complete obstruction of the abdominal aorta above the bifurcation was confirmed. Subsequent embolectomy was performed and an embolus consisting of several layers of different age was extracted. After successful surgical intervention with subsequent clinical improvement, the patient's clinical condition deteriorated a few day later. She died on day 9 after surgery from a complete ischemia of the small intestine and the colon ascendens.
 ...
PMID:[Atypical Leriche syndrome]. 1265 74


<< Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 Next >>