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 evidence that treatment of hypertension prevents stroke is incontrovertible. Several observations, however, suggest that improvements in the prevalence of antihypertensive treatment cannot explain all of the recent decline in stroke mortality. Changes in nutritional patterns may explain some of the observed decline. Prospective studies have demonstrated conclusively an independent, increasing risk of hemorrhagic, but not thrombotic, stroke at higher levels of alcohol use. Stroke mortality is associated inversely with fat and protein intake. Dietary sodium has been linked to stroke in ecologic studies but not in prospective studies. Ecologic studies have suggested that foods high in vitamin C and potassium protect against stroke; an inverse association of potassium intake with fatal stroke has been demonstrated in cohort studies. Two studies in humans also suggest a protective effect of serum selenium against subsequent stroke. Determination of the influence of nutrients on stroke incidence offers tantalizing opportunities for future research and possibly, intervention.
 ...
PMID:The decline in stroke mortality. An epidemiologic perspective. 816 40

Abnormal regulation of local vascular tone occurs early in human and experimental atherosclerosis. Impaired endothelium-dependent vascular relaxations mediated by endothelium-derived relaxing factor are an important contributor to these abnormalities. Endothelium-derived relaxing factor is nitric oxide released as such or attached to a carrier molecule. Oxidized lipoproteins impede endothelium-derived relaxing factor-mediated responses in vitro. We designed in vivo experiments to determine whether hypercholesterolemia with and without deficiency of two endogenous lipid antioxidants, vitamin E and selenium, would result in endothelial dysfunction. Vitamin E and selenium deficiencies were induced in a group of hypertension-prone Dahl salt-sensitive rats fed a diet high in cholesterol (4%) but low in NaCl (0.5%) for 18 weeks. Two other groups of Dahl salt-sensitive rats received diets sufficient in vitamin E and selenium but containing either high or normal cholesterol levels (control group). Serum cholesterol levels increased approximately 10-fold in the two groups of rats fed high-cholesterol diets. Systolic blood pressure was 143 +/- 3 mm Hg in high-cholesterol/vitamin E- and selenium-sufficient rats and 142 +/- 5 mm Hg in high-cholesterol/vitamin E- and selenium-deficient rats (P = NS). Mild intimal thickening and occasional mononuclear cell infiltration were observed in both of these groups. Serum vitamin E levels were decreased, whereas serum thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances and exhaled pentane (two indicators of endogenous lipid oxidation) were significantly increased in high-cholesterol/vitamin E- and selenium-deficient rats compared with high-cholesterol/vitamin E- and selenium-sufficient rats.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Hypertension 1993 Jul
PMID:Hypercholesterolemia promotes endothelial dysfunction in vitamin E- and selenium-deficient rats. 831 92

1. Selenium status was investigated in patients with chronic renal failure, with special regard to its relations to the dialysis treatments, dietary habits and clinical signs of atherosclerosis. 2. Serum selenium concentration and platelet glutathione peroxidase activity were measured in 45 patients with chronic renal failure subdivided into three groups according to the type of treatment: 15 non-dialysed, 15 on haemodialysis, 15 on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis. A 7-day diet history was carried out in all patients. Seventeen of the patients with chronic renal failure had clinically overt cardiovascular disease. Forty-five age-matched healthy subjects were considered as controls. 3. Both serum selenium concentration and platelet glutathione peroxidase were significantly reduced in all patients with chronic renal failure compared with control subjects; a direct and significant correlation was found between the two parameters. No differences in selenium status were observed among the non-dialysed, haemodialysis and continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis groups. No correlation between total calorie or protein intakes and selenium indices were observed. The chronic renal failure patients with cardiovascular complications showed a further significant reduction in both serum selenium concentration and platelet glutathione peroxidase activity as compared with the patients without cardiovascular complications; these two groups were similar with respect to the other well-known cardiovascular risk factors (age, smoking, plasma lipids, hypertension, body mass index). 4. It is concluded that a low selenium concentration is present in chronic renal failure, which is independent of dialysis and is accompanied by biological repercussion in terms of reduced platelet glutathione peroxidase activity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
 ...
PMID:Low platelet glutathione peroxidase activity and serum selenium concentration in patients with chronic renal failure: relations to dialysis treatments, diet and cardiovascular complications. 833 7

Large social inequalities exist in the risk of ischaemic heart disease (IHD), and they are only partly explained by established cardiovascular disease risk factors. Social class differences in psychosocial working conditions could be important explanatory factors. In a cohort of 1752 employed males, age in years, mean (S.D.): 59.7 (3.5), we investigated the issue. Self-reported psychosocial working conditions examined were: influence on the job, work monotony, work pace, degree of satisfaction with immediate superiors and colleagues, and ability to relax after working hours. One hundred and fourteen men were excluded due to prevalent cardiovascular disease. During the follow-up period (1985/86-1989), 46 men (approx. 3%) suffered an IHD event, 11 events were fatal. Compared with the rest, the highest social class had a relative risk with 95% CI (RR) of IHD of 0.26 (0.06-1.09), an association which was not explained by major potentially confounding or effect modifying factors: smoking, alcohol, physical activity, blood pressure, hypertension, body mass index, serum cholesterol, serum triglycerides, serum HDL, and serum selenium. Including psychosocial factors in the multivariate model had little influence on the estimate, RR = 0.21 (0.05-0.95), and yet there were highly significant differences in psychosocial working conditions between social classes. Neither self-reported influence on the job, work monotony, work pace, degree of satisfaction with immediate superiors and colleagues, nor interactions of the above factors were significantly associated with risk of IHD. However, men who reported that they were incapable of relaxing after working hours had a highly significant approximately threefold increased risk of IHD. We conclude that in middle-aged and elderly males self-reported, i.e. subjective psychosocial working conditions, did not contribute to the explanation of social inequalities in IHD, and that self-reported incapability to relax after work was associated with an increased risk of IHD.
 ...
PMID:Are social inequalities as associated with the risk of ischaemic heart disease a result of psychosocial working conditions? 837 61

Essential trace elements such as copper, zinc and selenium participate in various enzyme reactions necessary for antioxidant defense system of cells. It is not clear whether metabolism of these trace elements and related enzymes are specifically altered in hypertensive animals or humans. As endothelium-derived nitric oxide is inactivated by free radicals, oxidative stress is known to be involved in the pathogenesis of various vascular diseases including certain type(s) of arterial hypertension. The present review focuses on biological activity of endothelium-derived nitric oxide and trace elements and discusses the pathophysiological implications of trace elements for hypertension.
 ...
PMID:[Trace elements and blood pressure regulation]. 858 74

The relation between trace elements and human health has been scarcely studied. With respect to cardiovascular diseases and hypertension attention has mostly focused on arsenic, cobalt, copper, chromium, fluorine, manganese, vanadium, zinc, selenium, silicon, cadmium, and lead. Environmental contamination can influence organ concentrations through long-term, low-level effects. This article reviews the present knowledge obtained by epidemiological, biochemical and cell biological studies. Attention is paid to interpretation problems due to the complexity of biochemical interactions with proteins of various sorts which determine metabolic processes and to the occurrence of detoxification mechanisms in which trace elements interact. This can also lead to strong variations in individual vulnerability. In general, the elements selenium, copper, zinc, chromium, and manganese seem to counteract the development of cardiovascular diseases, whereas cadmium and may be lead seem to stimulate it. Effects of arsenic, silicon and fluorine are unclear and for cobalt absent. The intensity of these effects on public health is difficult to measure, but is as yet probably limited except in extra-ordinary situations.
 ...
PMID:Trace elements and cardiovascular diseases. 878 27

Traditional food is culturally, economically and nutritionally important for the Greenlandic Inuit people. In the 1970s the preventive effect of marine fat on cardiovascular disease, thrombosis and atherosclerosis was described. The low incidence of ischemic heart disease among Greenlanders has been related to the high intake of marine food. Since 1990 routine autopsies have taken place in two towns in Greenland, Nuuk and Ilulissat. The autopsies represent 26% of the total number of deaths in these two towns. Samples have been collected from 104 autopsies. International cooperative studies have analysed specimens in relation to ischemic heart disease as a benefit related to diet, as well as the level of heavy metals and organochlorine in organs as a risk related to diet. High amounts of mono-unsaturated and Omega-3 poly-unsaturated fatty acid were found in adipose tissue. Liver analyses of selenium have confirmed the expected high intake among Greenlanders. Reduced atherosclerotic lesions were found in the coronary arteries. Blood pressure levels calculated from renovascholopathia of hypertension indicate prevailing levels similar to those in industrialized countries. Some factors in Greenland may be protecting the coronary arteries, thereby of setting the expected effect of hypertension. The level of methyl mercury in organs is generally high. PCB concentrations found in organs of Greenlanders are higher than among other populations. Health and risk effects of the traditional foods need further investigation.
 ...
PMID:The Inuit diet. Fatty acids and antioxidants, their role in ischemic heart disease, and exposure to organochlorines and heavy metals. An international study. 887 82

Environmental pollution in the Arctic is due to long range transport from lower latitudes or to local industrial activities. Since the latter are not different from point source exposure in the rest of the world the paper focuses on the former aspect which is the main type of environmental pollution in the western Arctic. The environmental pollutants of major significance are heavy metals (mercury, cadmium, lead) and persistent organic pollutants (PCB's, pesticides) and the main exposure is through the traditional diet of sea mammals (mercury, cadmium, persistent organic pollutants) and through smoking (cadmium). There is rather strong evidence that lead is a (weak) risk factor for high blood pressure even at low levels of exposure. Apart from lead there is little evidence that the above mentioned pollutants are significantly related to cardiovascular diseases. Since the pollutants, however, are found in the traditional diet together with n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, and selenium which are believed to promote cardiovascular health there is an indirect link between the pollutants and cardiovascular disease. This becomes relevant when dietary guidelines are developed for arctic populations. Epidemiological evidence from Greenland relevant for this discussion is presented, i.e. i) findings from a countrywide interview survey on dietary habits which show that sea mammals are widely consumed and appreciated for health and other reasons and that there is virtually no fear of pollution, and ii) mortality results which do not support the hypothesis that the low rate of ischemic heart disease in Inuit is due to their traditional diet.
 ...
PMID:Cardiovascular disease and environmental pollutants: the Arctic aspect. 887 83

1. Using three strains, which showed severe hypertension, mild hypertension and normotension, respectively, the relationships between electrolytes or trace elements and vascular complications combined with the factor of ageing were investigated. 2. In ash materials of some tissues old female SHRSP and old WKY showed a decrease of selenium in many tissues when compared to adult female SHRSP and WKY, respectively. 3. In cellular supernatant fraction, SHRSP showed a decrease of magnesium in many tissues and an elevation of the calcium to magnesium ratio when compared to age-matched WKY and SHRSR. 4. In diabetic rats induced by streptozotocin, myocardial magnesium decreased, resulting in an elevation of the myocardial calcium to magnesium ratio. 5. Alpha tocopherol concentration was lower in both the myocardium and cerebrum of old female SHRSR when compared to that of adult female SHRSR. 6. From these findings the elevation of calcium to magnesium ratio was found in old rats and SHRSP, indicating the tendency of tissue deterioration in these rats. 7. Tissue selenium also decreased in old rats and SHRSP and this decrement was probably related to the peroxidation in tissue damage.
 ...
PMID:Magnesium, calcium and trace elements in spontaneously hypertensive rats. 907 61

The study was carried out on 60 oxygen-treated premature infants weighed less than 2000 g (1529 +/- 302 g, x mean +/- S. D.) and on their mothers. Both the Retinopathy of Prematurity screening and the biochemical tests were started at the age of 6 weeks. According to our results, the signs of an acute oxidative stress could be seen in all 60 oxygen-treated prematures erythrocyte's glutathione redox system, independently of the presence of the retinopathy compared to prematures (n = 20) with the same gestational age but without oxygen therapy (1720 +/- 305 g, mean +/- S.D.). The concentrations of free sulfhydril groups in the plasma, and the blood selenium levels were significantly lower in the prematures suffering from moderate retinopathy (n = 5) than in the other oxygen-treated premature without retinopathy (n = 27) and with "any retinopathy" (n = 28) patients groups. The same tendency was seen in the mothers. Vitamin E treatment of "any retinopathy" infants seemed to have a positive effect against the development of Retinopathy of Prematurity. The close correlation found between the antioxidant capacity of the mothers and babies suggest that the supplementation of feeding with sulfur-containing amino acids (methionine, cysteine) during pregnancy would improve the antioxidant capacity of prematures. An antioxidant cocktail (selenium + vitamin E) given to the high-risk mothers (advanced age, smoking, pregnancy-induced hypertension) before delivery as suggested in literature might be useful in prevention of Retinopathy of Prematurity.
 ...
PMID:[Prospective biochemical study of the antioxidant defense capacity in retinopathy of prematurity]. 907 53


<< Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Next >>