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Biomedical subjects

O Ophir

Publications and source records attributed to O Ophir.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1984

Endocarditis caused by Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans.

The first two cases of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans endocarditis in Israel are reported. One involved a 67 year old woman with mitral insufficiency and the other, a 48 year old alcoholic male with bioprosthetic mitral valve. The organism grew in three of seven and seven of fourteen blood culture specimens, taken during the first two or three days of hospitalization respectively. Blood cultures became positive after incubation for seven days. The first patient recovered after therapy with penicillin and an aminoglycoside, and the second one is still being treated. Previously described cases of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans endocarditis are reviewed.

Actinobacillus Infections↗
PubMed1984

Herpes zoster encephalitis: isolation of virus from cerebrospinal fluid.

Two elderly female patients developed symptoms and signs of encephalitis, coincident with a cutaneous zoster eruption ("shingles"). One recovered slowly with mild residual motor dysfunction, and the other died. Varicella-zoster virus was isolated from the cerebrospinal fluid of the two patients. Review of the literature revealed only eight previously described patients in whom herpes zoster virus was isolated from the cerebrospinal fluid.

Aged↗
PubMed1983

Low blood pressure in vegetarians: the possible role of potassium.

Ninety-eight confirmed adult vegetarians were examined against a matched group of nonvegetarians living in the same urban environment in order to evaluate the prevalence of arterial hypertension. The average blood pressure was 126/77 for the vegetarians and 147/88 for the control group (p less than 0.05). Significantly lower blood pressure was found in every decade of age. Only 2% of the vegetarians had hypertension (higher than 160/95) as compared to 26% hypertensives in the nonvegetarians. These differences in blood pressure were maintained also when individuals with the same "relative weight" were compared. Family history of hypertension was similar in both groups. Analysis of factors such as coffee drinking and smoking did not favor reduced blood pressure among the vegetarian group. Sodium and potassium intake were evaluated from their ratios to creatinine in a single urine sample. It was evident that both groups excreted the same amounts of sodium, while potassium excretion was significantly higher in the vegetarians. In view of the increasing evidence that potassium plays an important role in the regulation of blood pressure it is concluded that the protective antihypertensive factor in the vegetarian diet is the presence of high amounts of potassium.

Adult↗