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Biomedical subjects

Ali Jawa

Publications and source records attributed to Ali Jawa.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

Cardiovascular effects of insulin sensitizers in diabetes.

Diabetic patients have a greatly increased relative risk of cardiovascular disease compared with patients without diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is caused by a combination of insulin resistance and impaired pancreatic secretion. Thiazolidinediones are a relatively new class of compounds for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus that lower glucose levels by decreasing insulin resistance and glucose production by the liver. The cardiovascular benefits of thiazolidinediones include an increase in high-density lipoprotein, reduction in blood pressure, improvement in endothelial function, attenuation of markers of inflammation and reduction in albuminuria. Ongoing clinical trials are underway investigating the role of thiazolidinediones in the prevention of type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Animals↗

Endothelial and erectile dysfunction, diabetes mellitus, and the metabolic syndrome: common pathways and treatments?

The past decade has witnessed a dramatic increase in the prevalence of obesity. Comorbidities of obesity include type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and lipid abnormalities, all of which contribute to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and are associated with endothelial dysfunction. These abnormalities frequently cluster in individuals, and the term metabolic syndrome is now widely used to define this cluster. The syndrome is frequently (although not invariably) associated with insulin resistance and CVD. Diabetes is associated with CVD, which may be asymptomatic in some cases, particularly when associated with autonomic neuropathy. This has implications for guidelines on the evaluation of patients with erectile dysfunction (ED) and CVD. Treatment of ED in men with diabetes has been revolutionized by the introduction of phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors. However, men with diabetes tend to respond less positively to these agents, at least as currently prescribed. This decreased responsiveness may be related to the severity of endothelial function in patients with diabetes. Additional therapeutic strategies may be needed to overcome this problem.

Diabetes Mellitus↗

Erectile dysfunction: interrelationship with the metabolic syndrome.

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is more commonly seen in men with various components of the metabolic syndrome (a constellation of various cardiovascular and diabetes risk factors). ED can be considered as a risk marker of the metabolic syndrome and its associated conditions. The patient with ED should be thoroughly evaluated for coexisting vascular disease. Any cardiovascular risk factors should be modified or treated (ie, smoking, diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia). Endothelial dysfunction is a major unifying etiology for many of the aspects of the metabolic syndrome, especially diabetes and cardiovascular disease. It also plays a major role in ED. The multifactorial etiology of ED, especially in patients with the metabolic syndrome, increases the complexity of managing this problem so clinicians need to be aware of the underlying pathophysiology to ensure the best possible outcomes in management.

Biomarkers↗

Potential cardiovascular benefits of insulin sensitizers.

A multiple risk factor approach is needed in patients who have type 2 diabetes. Because many risk factors are linked with IR, treatment with insulin sensitizers has the potential to modulate these risk factors favorably. TZDs 'have many important effects beyond lowering blood glucose. By targeting IR, they improve many cardiovascular risk factors that are associated with the IR syndrome. In particular, they increase HDL-C, have anti-inflammatory effects, improve endothelial function and fibrinolysis, and decrease carotid intimal thickness; however, no evidence-based studies on cardiovascular outcomes are available to substantiate the potential cardioprotective effects of TZDs. Several clinical trials that were designed to investigate the effect that these agents have on reducing cardiovascular events are well under way.

Cardiovascular Diseases↗

Diabetic nephropathy and retinopathy.

Diabetic nephropathy and retinopathy are arguably the two most dreaded complications of diabetes. Together they contribute to serious morbidity and mortality. As they progress to end-stage renal disease and blindness, they impose enormous medical, economic,and social costs on both the patient and the health care system. Because nephropathy and retinopathy are frequently linked in patients,this article reviews their common and individual aspects of pathophysiology, clinical features, and management.

Age Distribution↗

Effects of peptides, with emphasis on feeding, pain, and behavior A 5-year (1999-2003) review of publications in Peptides.

Novel effects of naturally occurring peptides are continuing to be discovered, and their mechanisms of actions as well as interactions with other substances, organs, and systems have been elucidated. Synthetic analogs may have actions similar or antagonistic to the endogenous peptides, and both the native peptides and analogs have potential as drugs or drug targets. The journal Peptides publishes many leading articles on the structure-activity relationship of peptides as well as outstanding reviews on some families of peptides. Complementary to the reviews, here we extract information from the original papers published during the past five years in Peptides (1999-2003) to summarize the effects of different classes of peptides, their modulation by other chemicals and various pathophysiological states, and the mechanisms by which the effects are exerted. Special attention is given to peptides related to feeding, pain, and other behaviors. By presenting in condensed form the effects of peptides which are essential for systems biology, we hope that this summary of existing knowledge will encourage additional novel research to be presented in Peptides.

Animals↗