Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0020672 (hypothermia)
 17,327 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Labetalol, an alpha- and beta- adrenoceptor antagonist was investigated for its central nervous system effects in rats and mice. A marked reduction in the spontaneous motor activity with no concomittant muscle weakness was produced. The drug caused closure of eyelids in rats. Labetalol caused hypothermia and prolonged the pentobarbitone-induced hyposis. In animals trained for conditioned avoidance response the drug blocked the SCR in all the animals and CAR in a few number of animals. The drug did not protect the animals against electroshock convulsions. From the results it appears that labetalol is a central nervous system depressant.
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PMID:Neuropharmacological actions of labetalol. 43 73

Acute postoperative hypertension (APH) has been documented in the PACU. Over half of the patients who exhibit APH have pre-existing primary hypertension. Sustained blood pressure (BP) elevation increases the risk of myocardial ischemia, infarction, surgical site bleeding, or cerebral hemorrhage in these patients. Following surgery and anesthesia, increased sympathetic stimulation caused by a high level of circulating catecholamines can lead to APH. Some direct perioperative stimulants include pain, anxiety, hypoxia, hypercapnia, hypothermia, shivering, volume overload, and bladder distension. Nursing interventions are directed toward identifying and relieving the cause of APH. Antihypertensive drug therapy with vasodilators or adrenergic inhibitors is used if initial nursing interventions are not effective. Vasodilators frequently used are hydralazine, sodium nitroprusside, and nitroglycerin. Nicardipine has recently been introduced as an intravenous calcium channel blocker. Vasodilators are effective in BP reduction but may cause reflex tachycardia when used alone. Adrenergic inhibitors, such as esmolol and labetalol, block alpha and/or beta receptors to decrease heart rate and BP. Labetalol's effectiveness, relative freedom from side effects, and ease of administration have made it a useful drug in the treatment of APH.
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PMID:Acute postoperative hypertension in the hypertensive patient. 173 70

Paroxysmal sympathetic storming (PSS) is a rare disorder characterized by acute onset of nonstimulated tachycardia, hypertension, tachypnea, hyperthermia, external posturing, and diaphoresis. It is most frequently associated with severe traumatic brain injuries and has been reported in intracranial tumors, hydrocephalous, severe hypoxic brain injury, and intracerebral hemorrhage. Although excessive release of catecholamine and therefore increased sympathetic activities have been reported in subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), there is no descriptive report of PSS primarily caused by spontaneous SAH up to date. Here, we report a case of prolonged PSS in a patient with spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage and consequent vasospasm. The sympathetic storming started shortly after patient was rewarmed from hypothermia protocol and symptoms responded to Labetalol, but intermittent recurrence did not resolve until 3 weeks later with treatment involving Midazolam, Fentanyl, Dexmedetomidine, Propofol, Bromocriptine, and minimizing frequency of neurological and vital checks. In conclusion, prolonged sympathetic storming can also be caused by spontaneous SAH. In this case, vasospasm might be a precipitating factor. Paralytics and hypothermia could mask the manifestations of PSS. The treatment of the refractory case will need both timely adjustment of medications and minimization of exogenous stressors or stimuli.
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PMID:Prolonged paroxysmal sympathetic storming associated with spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage. 2347 63