Biomedical subjects

N Hruska

Publications and source records attributed to N Hruska.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Angiotensin II blockers in obstructive pulmonary disease: a randomised controlled trial.

In chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the sympathetic nervous system, as well as the renin-angiotensin system, is activated with possible negative systemic effects on skeletal muscles. Angiotensin II type-1 receptor blockers inhibit the sympathetic and renin-angiotensin systems and might improve skeletal and respiratory muscle strength in patients in whom these systems are activated. The effects of the angiotensin receptor blocker irbesartan given over 4 months was evaluated in 60 patients with COPD and a forced expiratory volume in one second of <50% of the predicted value and without obvious cardiovascular disease that would necessitate the administration of an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or an angiotensin receptor blocker. Irbesartan was well tolerated, but did not exert a significant effect on the primary end-point maximum inspiratory pressure. Spirometric results were not affected, but total lung capacity was reduced. Irbesartan led to a significant decrease in haematocrit (46.4+/-3.6 to 43.9+/-4.3% versus 47.5+/-2.4 to 48.7+/-3.0% with placebo). In conclusion, respiratory muscle strength in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients was not influenced by angiotensin II receptor blockade. However, the changes in haematocrit and total lung capacity following irbesartan raise the possibility that well-known cardiovascular drugs can produce unanticipated beneficial effects in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients.

Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers↗

PubMed2000

Cardiac troponin I elevation in acute pulmonary embolism is associated with right ventricular dysfunction.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and diagnostic utility of cardiac troponin I to identify patients with right ventricular (RV) dysfunction in pulmonary embolism. BACKGROUND: Right ventricular overload resulting from elevated pulmonary resistance is a common finding in major pulmonary embolism. However, biochemical markers to assess the degree of RV dysfunction have not been evaluated so far. METHODS: In this prospective, double-blind study we included 36 study patients diagnosed as having acute pulmonary embolism. RESULTS: Among the whole study population, 14 patients (39%) had positive troponin I tests. Ten of 16 patients (62.5%) with RV dilatation had increased serum troponin I levels, while only 4 of 14 patients (28.6%) with elevated troponin I values had a normal RV diameter as assessed by echocardiography, indicating that positive troponin I tests were significantly associated with RV dilatation (p = 0.009). Patients with positive troponin I tests had significantly more segmental defects in ventilation/perfusion lung scans than patients with normal serum troponin I (p = 0.0002). CONCLUSIONS: Our data demonstrate that more than one-third of patients clinically diagnosed as having pulmonary embolism presented with elevated serum troponin I concentrations. Troponin I tests helped to identify patients with RV dilatation who had significantly more segmental defects in lung scans. Thus, troponin I assays are useful to detect minor myocardial damage in pulmonary embolism.

Acute Disease↗

PubMed1981

Daytime sleepiness in depression.

Daytime drowsiness and other sleep related symptoms such as attention and concentration difficulties, blurred vision and slurred speech were evaluated using seven point rating scales in 51 drug free depressed patients and an age and sex matched control group. Degrees of depression and anxiety were quantified using the Beck Depression Inventory and State Trait Anxiety Inventory respectively. Daytime drowsiness and sleep related symptoms were seen to be significantly higher in the index group. Both depression and anxiety scores significantly correlated with daytime drowsiness.

Adult↗