PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

G Germanò

Publications and source records attributed to G Germanò.

42 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

[The efficacy and tolerance of orally administered kallikrein in patients with essential arterial hypertension].

Since the reduced kallikrein excretion demonstrated in essential hypertension suggested the possibility of an impairment in the renal kallikrein-kinin system, we decided to evaluate the efficacy and safety of oral kallikrein administration (glandular kallikrein derived from porcine pancreas) in 30 essential hypertensive subjects (21 males, 9 females, age range 34-62 years). Twenty subjects took 150 IU kallikrein t.i.d. for eight days; during this period their sodium intake remained normal (120 mEq Na+/die). Ten subjects took placebo. After the trial period, urinary kallikrein in the active group increased from 0.9 +/- 0.4 U/24 h (normal value greater than 1.2 U/24 h) to 1.6 +/- 1 U/24 h (p less than 0.05); systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreased respectively from 154.6 +/- 13.8 mmHg to 140.3 +/- 12.5 mmHg (p less than 0.01) and from 92.5 +/- 1.5 mmHg to 86 +/- 3.9 mmHg (p less than 0.025); urinary sodium and potassium excretion increased respectively from 96.7 +/- 17 mEq/24 h to 119.1 +/- 32.3 mEq/24 h (p less than 0.05) and from 36.7 +/- 11 mEq/24 h to 43.5 +/- 12.8 mEq/24 h (p less than 0.05). One patient in the kallikrein group suffered a transient episode of gastric pain. No modifications of the parameters evaluated were observed in the placebo group. We conclude that kallikrein has a mild hypotensive effect in hypertensive subjects and is generally well-tolerated. Its antihypertensive effect is probably due to the sodiuretic action of the substance.

Administration, Oral↗

[Oral administration of extracted kallikrein to patients with essential arterial hypertension].

Reduced kallikrein excretion has been demonstrated in essential hypertension, suggesting an impairment of the renal kallikrein-kinin system. Therefore, we evaluated the efficacy and safety of oral kallikrein administration (glandular kallikrein derived form porcine pancreas) in 20 essential hypertensives (14 males and 6 females) aged between 34 and 62 years. Kallikrein was administered (150 U.I. three times daily) over a period of eight days, under normal sodium intake (120 mEq of Na+/day). After the kallikrein administration period, urinary kallikrein resulted increased (from 0.9 +/- 0.4 U/24h, normal value greater than 1.2 U/24h, to 1.6 +/- 1 U/24h; p less than 0.05). Blood pressure decreased (systolic: from 154.6 +/- 13.8 mmHg to 140.3 +/- 12.5 mmHg; p less than 0.01--diastolic: from 92.5 +/- 1.5 mmHg to 86 +/- 3.9 mmHg; p less than 0.025), while urinary excretion of sodium (from 96.7 +/- 16 mEq/24h to 119.1 +/- 32.2 mEq/24h; p less than 0.05) and potassium (from 36.7 +/- 11 mEq/24h to 43.5 +/- 12.8 mEq/24h; p less than 0.05) increased after kallikrein administration. We observed only a transient episode of gastric pain. In conclusion, kallikrein administration has a mild hypotensive effect in hypertensive patients, and is generally well tolerated. The antihypertensive action is probably due to the natriuretic effect of kallikrein.

Administration, Oral↗

Differences in some circadian patterns of cardiac arrhythmia, myocardial infarctions and other adverse vascular events.

BACKGROUND: Results from unpublished data on the incidence of adverse vascular events and from several published studies are reevaluated chronobiologically. METHODS AND RESULTS: Cosinor methods indicate 1. a circadian variation in the incidence of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PST), of broadly classified ventricular arrhythmia (VAr), and of atrial fibrillation (AF); 2. a statistically significant difference in the timing of the circadian rhythm of PST and VAr versus that of AF; and 3. a further difference in the timing of these rhythms from that in the incidence of myocardial infarctions (MI). Electrocardiographic records for spans longer than 24h show the extent of day-to-day variability in circadian characteristics of the given patient and indicate the presence of even lower-frequency components, notably along the scale of a week, that may underlie weekly and half-weekly patterns of morbidity and mortality. CONCLUSION: Beyond alterations in the about 1-Hz periodicity of the heart, predictable changes along the scales of the day and the week may constitute a clue to the etiopathology of a given condition and provide a basis for treatment timing. The assessment of unfavorable changes in the lower frequency components may provide a lead time long enough to prompt the institution of preventive, rather than curative, intervention.

Animals↗