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Biomedical subjects

H Pouleur

Publications and source records attributed to H Pouleur.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Effect of enalapril on myocardial infarction and unstable angina in patients with low ejection fractions.

An association between raised renin levels and myocardial infarction has been reported. We studied the effects of enalapril, an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, on the development of myocardial infarction and unstable angina in 6797 patients with ejection fractions < or = 0.35 enrolled into the two Studies of Left Ventricular Dysfunction (SOLVD) trials. Patients were randomly assigned to placebo (n = 3401) or enalapril (n = 3396) at doses of 2.5-20 mg per day in two concurrent double-blind trials with the same protocol. Patients with heart failure entered the treatment trial (n = 2569) and those without heart failure entered the prevention trial (n = 4228). Follow-up averaged 40 months. In each trial there were significant reductions in the number of patients developing myocardial infarction (treatment trial: 158 placebo vs 127 enalapril, p < 0.02; prevention trial: 204 vs 161 p < 0.01) or unstable angina (240 vs 187 p < 0.001; 355 vs 312, p < 0.05). Combined, there were 362 placebo group patients with myocardial infarction compared with 288 in the enalapril group (risk reduction 23%, 95% CI 11-34%; p < 0.001). 595 placebo group patients developed unstable angina compared with 499 in the enalapril group (risk reduction 20%, 95% CI 9-29%, p < 0.001). There was also a reduction in cardiac deaths (711 placebo, 615 enalapril; p < 0.003), so that the reduction in the combined endpoint of deaths, myocardial infarction, and unstable angina was highly significant (20% risk reduction, 95% CI 14-26%; p < 0.0001). Enalapril treatment significantly reduced myocardial infarction, unstable angina, and cardiac mortality in patients with low ejection fractions.

Angina, Unstable↗
PubMed1992

Global ischaemia induces a biphasic response of the mitochondrial respiratory chain. Anoxic pre-perfusion protects against ischaemic damage.

Studies of Langendorff-perfused rat hearts have revealed a biphasic response of the mitochondrial respiratory chain to global ischaemia. The initial effect is a 30-40% increase in the rate of glutamate/malate oxidation after 10 min of ischaemia, owing to an increase in the capacity for NADH oxidation. This effect is followed by a progressive decrease in these oxidative activities as the ischaemia is prolonged, apparently owing to damage to Complex I at a site subsequent to the NADH dehydrogenase component. This damage is exacerbated by reperfusion, which causes a further decrease in Complex I activity and also decreases the activities of the other complexes, most notably of Complex III. Perfusion for up to 1 h with anoxic buffer produced only the increase in NADH oxidase activity, and neither anoxia alone, nor anoxia and reperfusion, caused loss of Complex I activity. Perfusing for 3-10 min with anoxic buffer before 1 h of global ischaemia had a significant protective effect against the ischaemia-induced damage to Complex I.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

An evaluation of the safety of the beta-modulator cicloprolol in chronic heart failure.

The new beta-adrenoceptor partial agonist cicloprolol acts as a beta-agonist at normal levels and as a beta-antagonist at high levels of adrenergic discharge. Treatment with cicloprolol should protect the heart against excessive stimulation, while providing a baseline level of sympathetic drive. The clinical interest of such a profile is, however, not yet established in heart failure. Accordingly this study examined the safety of oral cicloprolol, a step necessary before undertaking efficacy comparison with other compounds recently proposed to treat heart failure. Twenty-five patients were studied. Cicloprolol was given once a day for 2 weeks in a crossover double-blind placebo-controlled design. Follow-ups were obtained at baseline and at the end of each period. At baseline all patients had clear evidence of heart failure. Cicloprolol did not affect resting heart rate and blood pressure, but it reduced significantly peak exercise heart rate and peak rate-pressure product. The effect was especially significant in patients with sinus rhythm. The drug did not induce bradycardia or arrhythmias. Resting and exercise ejection rate were not affected. Cicloprolol improved the quality of life and the work capacity of 5 of 12 patients with congestive failure due to ischemic etiology. Side effects were few and similar with placebo and cicloprolol. Thus, short-term administration of cicloprolol is safe in moderate heart failure.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1992

Analysis of the mechanisms underlying the changes in left ventricular filling dynamics during oral nisoldipine therapy in patients with anterior myocardial infarction.

The aim of this study was to clarify the mechanisms responsible for the increase in early filling rate observed during oral nisoldipine therapy in patients with ischaemic left ventricular (LV) dysfunction. For that purpose, the global and regional LV function was analysed before and after 2 months of double-blind monotherapy with nisoldipine (10 mg twice daily) or a placebo, in 17 patients with a previous anterior myocardial infarction. The baseline LV ejection fraction ranged from 34-51% and no patient had heart failure. Compared to the placebo, nisoldipine significantly lowered LV systolic pressure and end-diastolic pressure (-3 mmHg vs +6 with the placebo; P less than 0.01) and the LV pressure at the time of mitral opening (-2.0 +/- 3.4 mmHg vs +3.5 +/- 3.0; P less than 0.01). Despite this reduction in driving pressure, the global LV early peak filling rate improved with nisoldipine only and this improvement was related to a selective increase in expansion rate of the anterior areas, from 1010 +/- 360 to 1339 +/- 496 mm2.s-1 (P less than 0.001). The time to regional peak filling rate (-8%; P less than 0.01), the asynchrony of diastolic wall motion and the regional ejection fraction (33 +/- 10 to 38 +/- 12%; P less than 0.001) also improved in the anterior areas with nisoldipine but not with the placebo. In contrast, in the inferior, control zones, the regional ejection fraction and filling rate remained unchanged, both when compared to baseline and to the placebo.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Effects of intravenous epinine administration on left ventricular systolic performance, coronary hemodynamics, and circulating catecholamines in patients with heart failure.

Twenty-six patients with mild to moderate heart failure were studied to determine the effects of epinine infusion (at a rate producing plasma levels similar to those measured after oral administration of 100 mg of the prodrug ibopamine) on left ventricular (LV) function (14 patients), and coronary flow and circulating catecholamines (12 patients). The only significant hemodynamic change at an infusion rate of 0.5 microgram/kg/min was a 9% (p less than 0.05) decrease in systemic vascular resistance (SVR). At an infusion rate of 1 microgram/kg/min (mean free epinine plasma levels 14.3 +/- 3.7 ng/ml), heart rate (HR), dP/dtmax (1,405 +/- 255 to 1,490 +/- 320 mm Hg, NS), (dP/dt)/DP40, and the relaxation rate remained unchanged, but the ejection fraction (EF) increased from 32 to 38% (p less than 0.001), cardiac output (CO) increased, and SVR decreased by 22% (p less than 0.05). In a separate group of 12 patients, epinine infusion at rates of 0.5-1 microgram/kg/min produced no significant changes in coronary blood flow or myocardial oxygen uptake. At these infusion rates, arterial norepinephrine (NE) and dopamine (DA) levels decreased slightly and arterial and coronary sinus epinephrine increased. In conclusion, epinine, at concentrations similar to those achieved during therapeutic use of ibopamine, had negligible effect on myocardial contractility and relaxation rate in heart failure patients. Cardiac pump function was improved by a decrease in SVR rather than by inotropic stimulation. The data also suggest that these low concentrations of epinine may modulate the sympathetic nervous system, but further studies are needed to determine whether this effect could have clinical significance.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Low-dose endothelin-1 potentiates volume-induced secretion of atrial natriuretic factor.

To evaluate the role of calcium in volume-induced secretion of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF), effects of verapamil and endothelin-1 (ET-1), both known to influence free intracellular calcium, were studied during saline infusion in seven conscious instrumented dogs. Fifteen minutes after intravenous injection of placebo or verapamil (0.25 mg/kg) or during continuous ET-1 infusion (at 5 ng.kg-1.min-1), saline (10% body wt) was infused during 40 min. Saline produced a rise (P less than 0.001) of plasma ANF from 28.1 +/- 6.3 to 50.4 +/- 12.9 pM after placebo, from 30.2 +/- 6.1 to 51.1 +/- 8.5 pM after verapamil, and from 31.2 +/- 6.1 to 81.0 +/- 12.9 pM with ET-1. This increase was comparable after placebo and verapamil, but was 80% greater with ET-1 (P less than 0.02). Plasma ET-1, unchanged after placebo, rose (P less than 0.001) from 1.7 +/- 0.5 to 38.3 +/- 9.2 pM with ET-1. In the three experiments, heart rate and left atrial pressure (LAP) increased (P less than 0.001) similarly. The linear relation between ANF and LAP was steeper with ET-1 than with saline or verapamil (both P less than 0.05), indicating that the enhanced ANF secretion with ET-1 was occurring at all levels of LAP. Thus volume-induced secretion of ANF is not suppressed by verapamil, but is directly enhanced by low-dose ET-1, known to activate the phosphoinositide pathway.

Angiotensin II↗
PubMed1992

Effects of prolonged nisoldipine administration on the "hibernating" myocardium.

To assess the effects of nisoldipine on chronically underperfused myocardial areas ("hibernating myocardium"), the global and regional left ventricular (LV) function was analyzed before and after 2 months of double-blind monotherapy with nisoldipine (10 mg twice daily) or placebo in 17 patients with a previous anterior myocardial infarction. The baseline LV ejection fraction ranged from 34 to 51%, and no patient had heart failure. Compared to placebo, nisoldipine significantly lowered the LV systolic pressure and end-diastolic pressure (-3 vs. +6 mmHg with placebo; p < 0.01) and the LV pressure at the time of mitral valve opening (-2.0 +/- 3.4 vs. +3.5 +/- 3.0 mm Hg; p < 0.01). Despite this reduction in driving pressure, the global LV early peak filling rate improved only with nisoldipine and this improvement was related to a selective increase in the expansion rate of the anterior areas, from 1,010 +/- 360 to 1,339 +/- 496 mm2/s (p < 0.001). The time to regional peak filling rate (-8%; p < 0.01), the asynchrony of diastolic wall motion, and the regional ejection fraction (33 +/- 10 to 38 +/- 12%; p < 0.001) also improved in the anterior areas with nisoldipine but not with placebo. In contrast, in the inferior control zones, the regional ejection fraction and filling rate remained unchanged, both when compared to baseline and to placebo. In conclusion, prolonged nisoldipine therapy had no significant effect on the normal myocardium but improved systolic and diastolic function in hypokinetic areas.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Double-Blind Method↗
PubMed1992

Effects of a new metabolic modulator, ranolazine, on exercise tolerance in angina pectoris patients treated with beta-blocker or diltiazem.

Ranolazine (RS 43285) is a new piperazine derivative with anti-ischemic properties attributed to a modulation of myocardial metabolism. Its antianginal action was assessed in 104 patients recruited in a double-blind, crossover, randomized study comparing placebo with a single dose of ranolazine (10, 60, 120, and 240 mg). All patients had chronic stable angina pectoris and remained symptomatic (at least 0.1 mV ST-segment depression and angina during prestudy exercise testing) despite treatment with a beta-blocker or with diltiazem. No significant effects of ranolazine on exercise duration or time to angina were observed after the dose of 10, 60, and 120 mg. After the 240 mg dose, however, significant improvement in exercise duration (+13.1% in the combined group, two-tailed p = 0.002; +14.3% in the beta-blocker group, p = 0.009; +11.9% in the diltiazem group, p = 0.06), in time to angina (+56.8 s, p = 0.008), and in time to 1 mm ST-segment depression was observed. The cumulative proportion of patients who improved their time to angina by at least 30 s above placebo were 25, 42, 50, and 72% with the doses of 10, 60, 120, and 240 mg, respectively. Sixty-seven percent of the patients with ranolazine plasma levels above 500 ng/ml improved their time to angina against 40% at plasma levels below 500 ng/ml and summed ST-segment depression during exercise and recovery was also significantly reduced at these plasma concentrations. Both heart rate and arterial pressure at rest and at peak exercise were unchanged after ranolazine, 240 mg.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Acetanilides↗
PubMed1991

Difference in mortality between patients treated with captopril or enalapril in the Xamoterol in Severe Heart Failure Study.

The double-blind, placebo-controlled, multinational trial Xamoterol in Severe Heart Failure randomized 290 patients treated with captopril and 217 treated with enalapril to xamoterol or placebo. At the end of the 100-day follow-up period, the cumulative probability of survival in patients with coronary artery disease or with dilated cardiomyopathy decreased in the captopril group (90.3%) when compared with the enalapril group (97.2%). The excess mortality in the captopril group could not be related to the indexes of the severity of heart failure, such as baseline exercise duration, functional class, cardiothoracic ratio, ejection fraction or dose of diuretic drugs. Furthermore, the excess in mortality was seen in all subsets of patients examined as well as across countries. Examination of the dosing regimen used, however, suggests that insufficient daily dosage of captopril or the inadequate schedule of administration, or both, might be responsible for different degrees of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition between the enalapril and captopril groups and hence for the difference in mortality. It is important in future clinical trials to determine to what extent complete circadian angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition is necessary to provide the full benefit of this therapy in heart failure.

Adrenergic beta-Agonists↗
PubMed1991

Dopaminergic drugs in the management of chronic heart failure.

The importance of the dopaminergic system in heart failure is unknown and the therapeutic potential of orally active compounds stimulating dopaminergic receptors has yet to be established. Despite similar acute haemodynamic changes in heart failure and despite a comparable profile of receptor stimulation, oral levodopa (the prodrug of dopamine) and oral ibopamine (the prodrug of epinine) produce opposite effects on plasma norepinephrine and have different pharmacokinetics. Placebo-controlled studies indicate a beneficial effect of ibopamine on exercise tolerance in patients with heart failure, whereas invasive evaluation of left ventricular function indicate that at the doses used in these trials, ibopamine does not act as a positive inotropic drug but rather as a vasodilator. This suggests that DA1 and DA2 receptor stimulation may be beneficial in heart failure. Further studies are, however, needed to specify the exact role of this therapeutic approach in comparison with other agents, such as ACE inhibitors, also able to modulate neuro-humoral activation in heart failure.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Cardiovascular and endocrine effects of endothelin-1 at pathophysiological and pharmacological plasma concentrations in conscious dogs.

BACKGROUND: Increased plasma concentrations of endothelin-1, a potent vasoconstrictor produced by the endothelium, have been reported in various pathological conditions. This study was conducted to evaluate effects of endothelin-1 at pathophysiological and pharmacological plasma concentrations. METHODS AND RESULTS: Endothelin-1 was infused at increasing doses (2.5, 5, 10, and 20 ng/kg.min for 1 hour each) in nine conscious dogs. During endothelin-1 infusion, plasma endothelin-1 rose from a basal value of 1.8 +/- 0.4 pmol/l to 5.8 +/- 1.1 (pathophysiological), 20.8 +/- 3.9 (pathophysiological), 85.4 +/- 18.9 (pharmacological), and 311.4 +/- 55.7 (pharmacological) pmol/l at each dose, respectively. Heart rate increased at 2.5 ng/kg.min (from 129 +/- 7 to 146 +/- 12 beats/min) but decreased at 20 ng/kg.min (97 +/- 7 beats/min) (p less than 0.001). Such a biphasic response was also observed for peak (+)dP/dt and (dP/dt)/DP40 (p less than 0.005). Left ventricular systolic pressures, mean aortic pressure, and left atrial pressure increased over time (p less than 0.05, p less than 0.005, and p less than 0.001, respectively). The time constant of early isovolumic relaxation rose progressively (p less than 0.001). The percent systolic shortening decreased at 10 and 20 ng/kg.min (p less than 0.005). Pressure-segment length loops showed a reduction in systolic shortening associated with an increase in left ventricular systolic pressure at 20 ng/kg.min. Atrial natriuretic factor rose after 5 ng/kg.min from 28.5 +/- 6.5 to 92.0 +/- 18.2 pmol/l (p less than 0.005). Angiotensin II and catecholamines did not change significantly. Serum urea and creatinine rose progressively (p less than 0.05), whereas glucose decreased (p less than 0.05). The above results differed significantly from measurements obtained in a time-control group of six dogs. CONCLUSIONS: A fourfold increase of plasma endothelin-1 obtained after doubling the infusion rate suggests a reduction in endothelin-1 clearance or endothelin-1 endogenous production. The biphasic response of heart rate is consistent with baroreflex-mediated effects resulting from vasodilation at the pathophysiological level and vasoconstriction at the pharmacological level. Hemodynamic data suggest an increase followed by a decrease in contractility at both levels, respectively. Finally, endothelin-1 is a stimulator of atrial natriuretic factor.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Alterations in endocardial vascular resistance after reperfusion in a low flow, high demand model of ischemia: effects of dipyridamole and WEB-2086, a platelet-activating factor antagonist.

To determine if alterations in regional coronary vascular resistance could occur in the type of myocardial ischemia present in severe angina pectoris, regional perfusion and function were studied in 35 conscious sedated dogs. A stenosis producing severe hypokinesia of the perfused segment was created for 2 h on the left anterior descending coronary artery and 10 episodes of 1 min of high demand ischemia (atrial pacing at a rate sufficient to induce dyskinesia in the hypoperfused segment) were superimposed before reperfusion. The dogs were randomized into three treatment groups: control (n = 13), dipyridamole (n = 10) or WEB-2086 (n = 12), an antagonist of the effects of the endogenous platelet-activating factor. During stenosis, residual endocardial blood flow in the ischemic but nonnecrotic area averaged 0.72 +/- 0.14, 0.38 +/- 0.13 and 0.68 +/- 0.17 ml/min per g in the control, WEB-2086 and dipyridamole groups, respectively. Twenty-four hours after reperfusion, endocardial blood flow in the ischemic area was significantly lower in control dogs (1.04 +/- 0.15 ml/min per g) than in dogs treated with WEB-2086 (1.44 +/- 0.28 ml/min per g; p less than 0.03) or dipyridamole (3.00 +/- 0.83 ml/min per g; p less than 0.01). Accordingly, in control dogs, endocardial coronary vascular resistance in the ischemic area was increased after reperfusion from 85 +/- 11 to 124 +/- 27 mm Hg/(ml/min per g) (p less than 0.05) after 24 h. In contrast, coronary vascular resistance in the ischemic area remained unchanged in dogs receiving WEB-2086 (77 +/- 8 to 79 +/- 9 mm Hg/(ml/min per g); p = NS) and it decreased significantly in dogs receiving dipyridamole (72 +/- 8 to 44 +/- 8 mm Hg/(ml/min per g); p less than 0.01). Regional function after 24 h remained depressed in all three groups. These data indicate that low flow, high demand ischemia induces alterations in the subendocardial microvasculature. Such alterations in regional coronary vascular resistance might play a role in several forms of ischemic heart disease such as in severe angina, but they appear susceptible to improvement by therapeutic interventions that influence granulocyte and platelet activation.

Adenosine↗
PubMed1990

Clinical experience of therapy with xamoterol in patients with severe systolic and diastolic dysfunction.

Xamoterol ('Corwin', 'Carwin', 'Corwil', 'Xamtol', ICI118, 587)*, a partial beta-agonist, has beneficial effects in patients with mild to moderate heart failure. In acute haemodynamic studies in more severe heart failure some patients have shown negative inotropic and chronotropic effects, although treatment with a partial agonist should protect the heart against excessive stimulation, while providing a baseline level of sympathetic drive. This study examined the effects of oral xamoterol in patients with moderate to severe heart failure. Ten patients were studied, nine with ischaemic heart disease. All but one were in New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional Class III. Other treatment, including angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, was continued. The patients underwent a standard bicycle exercise test, and the following day cardiac catheterization was performed to obtain measurements of ventricular size (by cineangiography) and pressures during the cardiac cycle. The patients began treatment with xamoterol 200 mg b.d. in addition to their baseline therapy, and this was continued for an average of 9 weeks, after which the exercise test and the haemodynamic investigations were repeated. At baseline, all patients had a raised left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) and nine had a low election fraction, raised end-systolic and end-diastolic volume indices and reduced left ventricular (+) dP/dtmax Xamoterol produced a marked reduction in left ventricular filling pressure, a fall in end-systolic volume index and improvements in T1, (+) dP/dtmax and (dP/dt)/DP40 with no change in mean aortic pressure. Duration of exercise increased in four patients, and did not change in the other four tested.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adrenergic beta-Agonists↗
PubMed1990

Illustration of the effects of long-term xamoterol therapy on the time course of left ventricular pressure.

Detailed left ventricular haemodynamic investigations were performed in eight patients with New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class II heart failure, eight with NYHA Class III heart failure with an ejection fraction less than 35%, and six with severe heart failure. Xamoterol (200 mg b.d. for 3 months) caused a fall in left ventricular end-diastolic pressure, an increase in dP/dTmax and a shorter systole in all groups of patients.

Adrenergic beta-Agonists↗
PubMed1990

Diastolic dysfunction and myocardial energetics.

Myocardial relaxation is an energy-dependent process. Indeed, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is required to pump free myoplasmic calcium back into the sarcoplasmic reticulum. It is also necessary to extrude the calcium ions which enter the cell during the plateau phase of the action potential. The calcium-sodium exchange mechanism does not seem to require energy in itself, but sodium exchanged for calcium eventually needs to be extruded via sodium/potassium ATPase and there is also an ATP-dependent calcium pump. Thus, when ATP production is limited, calcium may remain fixed to troponin for part or for the whole of diastole, resulting in a slower rate of isovolumic relaxation and reduced distensibility of the myocardium. Alterations in diastolic function caused by inadequate energy production occur in the high-demand type of myocardial ischaemia. There is also growing evidence that most forms of heart failure are accompanied by a state of energy depletion. Alterations in mitochondrial density and enzymatic activity are common in the failing myocardium and may partially explain the reduction in ATP production. Inadequate growth of the capillary network in hypertrophied myocardium, impaired subendocardial perfusion due to increased diastolic wall stress and/or coronary artery disease, probably also contribute to an imbalance between energy production and utilization. As relaxation is intrinsically a much slower process than activation and since changes in ATP concentration may also affect calcium efflux by allosteric effects, impaired relaxation and reduced diastolic distensibility are almost universal in chronic congestive heart failure. Optimal therapy of heart failure should, therefore, also aim at improving this phase of the cardiac cycle.

Animals↗