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Biomedical subjects

A Oke

Publications and source records attributed to A Oke.

18 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Nephrotoxicity in the elderly due to co-prescription of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Both angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can lead to functional renal insufficiency. In an observational study we assessed the frequency of this adverse effect in patients aged over 75 years receiving these drugs in combination. In one year, out of 1500 patients whose records were screened, 12 were prescribed this combination. 2 developed acute renal failure, of whom one died and the other recovered after discontinuation of both drugs. 4 patients showed deterioration in renal function, which returned to normal after one of the drugs was stopped. Renal function remained stable in 6 patients: patients with deterioration in renal function were older and more likely to be on diuretics. This drug combination is commonly nephrotoxic in the elderly and should be avoided, especially in those taking diuretics.

Acute Kidney Injury↗
PubMed2000

Underutilization of antithrombotic therapy in atrial fibrillation.

Most patients with atrial fibrillation should be considered for antithrombotic therapy. In a retrospective survey we investigated practice in two hospitals. For patients at high risk, established guidelines recommend warfarin, or aspirin if anticoagulants are contraindicated; for those at medium risk, either may be used. Of 156 with atrial fibrillation (acute, chronic or paroxysmal), 119 were at high risk, mean age 79 years. According to the guidelines, 89 of these were suitable for anticoagulation but only 49 (55%) received warfarin; 27 received aspirin and 13 neither. Of 27 patients at medium risk (mean age 70 years), 6 were not prescribed any antithrombotic therapy. This survey indicates that guidelines on antithrombotic therapy are commonly disregarded and that, in particular, warfarin is underutilized in the group for whom it is most indicated.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed2000

Diagnoses in discharge communications: how far are they reliable?

To discover whether general practitioners are correctly notified of a patient's final diagnosis following hospital discharge, an observational study was undertaken in a district general hospital. The final diagnosis was compared with the diagnosis documented in the discharge summary and the take-home prescription. Two hundred discharges were studied. Only 163 (81%) discharge summaries and 138 (69%) take-home prescriptions had the correct diagnosis; 24 (12%) take-home prescriptions did not have any diagnosis at all. In some cases the diagnosis differed between the discharge summaries and the take-home prescriptions. Only in 122 (61%) cases was the final diagnosis correctly documented in both instances. Communication regarding diagnosis in discharge letters is less than adequate. Every effort should be made to improve this.

Diagnosis↗
PubMed2000

Progressive heart block in active rheumatoid arthritis.

A 68-year-old woman presented with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and severe extra-articular manifestations. During the course of her treatment, her electrocardiogram (ECG) transformed from normal sinus rhythm to left bundle branch block and finally to complete heart block (CHB). Investigations ruled out an ischaemic event. A permanent pacemaker was inserted due to the symptoms of heart failure and she made an uneventful recovery. CHB in RA is probably a marker of severity of the disease.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1991

Simultaneous high-performance liquid chromatographic determination of ascorbic acid and dehydroascorbic acid in biological samples.

The ascorbic acid (AA)-dehydroascorbic acid redox couple is an important component of many biological systems, and various physiological roles have been described for this vitamin. Simultaneous measurement of both AA and dehydroascorbate using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) has proven difficult owing to detection problems. A simple, single-step HPLC assay for the simultaneous detection of both AA and dehydroascorbate was developed without the burden of derivatization of either compounds. This has proven to be a reliable technique and should be applicable to a wide variety of biological samples.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Simultaneous monitoring of voltammetric and ion-selective electrodes in mammalian brain.

A new technique of simultaneously recording from ion-selective and voltammetric microelectrodes in vivo allows one to measure concomitant ionic and monoamine neurotransmitter fluxes in the extracellular fluid space of the brain. Examples are presented of the results obtained with various drug and stimulus applications. The time correlations of the ionic and neurotransmitter fluxes are especially useful in attempting to better understand the possible interactions of these chemical dynamics with neuronal functioning.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Cerebral blood flow and cerebrovascular permeability in an inescapable shock (learned helplessness) animal model of depression.

The effects of a purported animal model of depression (inescapable shock, IS) was tested on: (a) escape behavior, (b) regional brain levels of norepinephrine (NE), serotonin (5-HT), and dopamine, and (c), the response of the cerebromicrovasculature to metabolic demand as mimicked by manipulation of arterial CO2 content (PaCO2). Multidisciplinary research has implicated central biogenic amines in the regulation of cerebromicrocirculation. IS treatment resulted in increased escape latency and lowered levels of NE and 5-HT in the locus coeruleus but not in terminal fields in distant regions. This treatment also did not alter cerebral blood flow or capillary permeability in distant regions when compared with control rats. Thus, the discrete changes in NE and 5-HT in locus coeruleus induced by IS treatment is not reflected in changes in cerebral blood flow and the effective permeability of the blood-brain barrier.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Catecholamine distribution patterns in rat thalamus.

Detailed distribution patterns for norepinephrine and dopamine in rat thalamus were determined by liquid chromatographic assays. The norepinephrine distribution is in good accord with that suggested previously by neuroanatomical tracing techniques. Detailed anterior-posterior concentration profiles for norepinephrine are summarized. An unexpected finding was a strong animal variability in thalamic dopamine content. Thalami were distinguished as having either low, intermediate or extremely high dopamine concentrations.

Animals↗
PubMed1978

Lateralization of norepinephrine in human thalamus.

Norepinephrine has a strongly lateralized distribution in the human thalamus. In the pulvinar region the left hemisphere is rich in norepinephrine, whereas in the somatosensory input area the right hemisphere has a higher concentration of this catecholamine. Such naturally occurring left-right differences in concentration of a neurotransmitter represent a new aspect of hemispheric specialization.

Dopamine↗