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Biomedical subjects

R Antonicelli

Publications and source records attributed to R Antonicelli.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Camerano study on hypertension: association between arterial hypertension and cardiovascular risk factors.

The Camerano study on Arterial Hypertension (AH), was a cross-sectional study carried out on a population living in a small town in central Italy. Its aim was to show the prevalence of certain characteristics of AH. We studied the association between AH and other well-known cardiovascular risk factors (CRF) such as: hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, cigarette smoking, hyperglycemia, obesity and in particular the hereditary factor, evaluated as the degree of association between the AH of the subject and that of his parents. The results reveal a significantly high association between AH and all the CRF examined. Subjects suffering from AH had double the chance of concomitant another CRF compared to the normotensives. If three CRF are present at the same time, then the hypertensive subjects are three times as many. When hereditary factors are evaluated, then subjects with two hypertensive parents have twice as much probability of developing AH compared to subjects from a normotensive family.

Adult↗

Clinical and electromyographic evidence of carpal tunnel syndrome in a hypertensive patient with chronic beta-blocker treatment.

We describe a case of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) in a hypertensive man on long term treatment with a beta-blocker, propranolol. The clinical and instrumental findings, including MRI at the wrist, excluded all other possible causes of CTS. The improvement in symptoms and electromyographic findings on discontinuation of the drug suggested that the CTS may have been related to the beta-blocker therapy.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗

[Carpal tunnel syndrome secondary to repetitive microtrauma. The clinical and electromyographic aspects].

The authors describe 20 cases of carpal tunnel syndrome (cts), caused by repetitive microtrauma at work. The clinical and electromyographic data are compared with a control group (406 pt affected by non traumatic cts). In the control group, the syndrome appeared more frequently in the right side (mostly in men), in relation to the manual dominance. These data suggest that the importance of "physiological traumatism" is decisive in the pathogenesis of the syndrome. Patients affected by microtraumatic stc show a better EN-Graphic pattern versus the control group, likely imputable to a earlier diagnosis.

Adolescent↗

Nicardipine retard in the therapy of elderly diabetic hypertensives: final report of observational study.

OBJECTIVE: An uncontrolled multicentre study was carried out in 10 hospitals of the Marche Region of central Italy, to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of 40 mg nicardipine retard in elderly hypertensive patients with diabetes mellitus type II. DESIGN: The study lasted 6 months, single-blind for the first 3 months and open thereafter. The blood pressure criteria were 165 mmHg systolic and/or 95 mmHg diastolic measured at least three times consecutively in untreated patients or after 10 days of drug washout. PATIENTS: All subjects had a proven diagnosis of diabetes mellitus type II and were greater than or equal to 65 years of age. RESULTS: After the first 14 days of active treatment with nicardipine [corrected] retard at 40 mg/day, supine systolic blood pressure had fallen to 164.3 +/- 12.7 mmHg and diastolic to 92.2 +/- 7.3 mmHg (P less than 0.001). This first phase normalized blood pressure in 41.1% of patients. In 58.9% of patients the dose was doubled because goal blood pressure had not been achieved. After 4 weeks of therapy, mean supine systolic/diastolic values had fallen to 156.5 +/- 11.0/88.5 +/- 6.8 mmHg (P less than 0.001), and the proportion of patients requiring 80 mg/day had risen to 63.2%, with only 36.8% able to continue on the single dose. In 24.2% of the patients, monotherapy at 80 mg/day was not sufficient to normalize blood pressure and a second associated drug (enalapril, 10 mg/day) was administered. The mean blood pressure decrease induced by therapy was statistically significant from the second week of treatment (P less than 0.001). No significant variation in metabolic parameters was recorded during treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Nicardipine [corrected] retard was effective and well tolerated in elderly subjects, both clinically and metabolically.

Aged↗

The mild hypertension enigma.

This study examines the problem of the correlation between mild arterial hypertension and cardiovascular damage. The authors examine the results of the most important trials carried out and, on the basis of their evaluations, suggest the need to review the current clinical policy of considering mild arterial hypertension as an important risk factor directly related to cardiovascular disease. Since the therapeutic trials carried out on mild hypertension did not substantially reduce the total and cardiac mortality rate, it seems to be probable that arterial hypertension is a progression acceleration marker of atheromatous disease. According to this theory, a therapy which aims merely at returning the pressure values to normal limits will probably not change the natural course of the atheromatous process.

Cardiovascular Diseases↗

Biochemical effects of urapidil on red cell membrane ion transport systems in a population of elderly essential hypertensives.

The aim of our work was to verify the effect of urapidil on membrane ion transport systems. This was a randomized, double-blind, cross-over study which evaluated the clinical and biochemical effects of urapidil (30 mg twice daily in comparison with placebo) in a group of 10 elderly hypertensive patients (3 male, 7 female ranging from 68 to 90 years, mean age 79.2 +/- 7.6 years). For the evaluation in fresh erythrocytes of principal ion transport systems (cotransport Na+/K+, countertransport Na+/Li+, Na+/K+ ATPase pump. intracellular Na+ and K+) we used the nystatin technique. We found that urapidil activated the red cell membrane ions cotransport system (basal values: 83.7 +/- 50.3 mumol Na+ RBC 1-1.h-1, after 1 month of urapidil therapy: 181.5 +/- 89.3 mumol Na+ RBC 1-1.h-1) (P less than 0.01), without significant changes in the other biochemical parameters evaluated. Our data suggest that one of the mechanisms of the urapidil antihypertensive effect could involve an increase in the membrane sodium cotransport system.

Aged↗

Impedance cardiography for repeated determination of stroke volume in elderly hypertensives: correlation with pulsed Doppler echocardiography.

In this double-blind, crossover study the authors have validated stroke volume determination by impedance cardiography against the pulsed Doppler echocardiographic method in elderly hypertensives. They found a good correlation between the stroke volume values obtained by the two methods over a range of values from 30 to 130 mL. The coefficient of linear regression was about .95 at each visit. The mean of the differences was -0.73 mL with a standard deviation of 8.46. Given that individual differences are normally distributed, the values corresponding to 2 standard deviations of the mean define a range covering 95% of the observed differences. From the distribution of the data around the mean plot it appears that, in comparison with pulsed Doppler, impedance cardiography tends to slightly underestimate stroke volumes of greater than 90 mL and to overestimate values of less than 50 mL. The results of this study indicate that impedance cardiography may represent a reliable alternative to pulsed Doppler echocardiography for the noninvasive estimation of cardiac output at rest in elderly patients.

Aged↗

[The problem of hypercholesterolemia in the aged].

This paper deals with the problems of hypercholesterolaemia in the elderly. We have significant results that show an important relationship between serum cholesterol and cardiovascular diseases in the adult, but the same has not yet been definitely established for the elderly. After examination of the available data, the Authors suggest that--after a through clinical evaluation--the elderly should also be treated given that there are data to suggest and hypothesize the positive action of a hypolipemic diet until at least the age of seventy five years. The therapy, whenever possible, could be dietetic; but from relevant results obtained, used together with HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, these drugs are a good therapeutic approach to the problem, also in the elderly. To support this opinion, the Authors show the results obtained with the use of Simvastatin in a group of old patients.

Adult↗

Age-related antihypertensive and haemodynamic effects of verapamil SR: clinical results and effects on atrial natriuretic peptide.

The antihypertensive effect of the calcium-antagonist verapamil was investigated in two groups of patients, adult hypertensives (AH, less than 65 years of age) and elderly hypertensives (EH, greater than 65 years of age), who were treated with 240 mg p.o. sustained-release (SR) verapamil for 4 months. Arterial blood pressure was significantly reduced in both groups: the responders' rate was 65% in the AH group and 82% in the EG group. The heart rate was slightly but not significantly reduced. An improvement in cardiac haemodynamics was observed [cardiac index (CI), from 3.00 +/- 0.51 to 3.25 +/- 0.83 ml min-1 m-2 in AH and from 2.35 +/- 1.08 to 3.04 +/- 0.86 ml min-1 m-2 in EG]. We also evaluated the plasma concentrations of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) before and after treatment; ANP levels increased significantly only in the EH group. No serious side effects occurred. In conclusion, verapamil SR provided effective and well-tolerated antihypertensive treatment in both adult and elderly patients.

Age Factors↗

Evaluation of plasmatic ANP levels in subjects affected by essential arterial hypertension and in a group of patients undergoing dialysis.

In the first part of this study we selected 24 hypertensive subjects (11 males, 13 females, mean age 55.4 +/- 10.2 years) affected by essential arterial hypertension (EAH). Eleven people (5 males, 6 females, mean age 21.6 +/- 9.5 years) had one or two hypertensive parents. Seventeen subjects (8 males, 9 females, mean age 56.4 +/- 5.9 years) were the control group. Plasmatic ANP was measured using the RIA method, after extracting the peptide on Sep-Pak C18 cartridges. The results show the following ANP values: healthy control subjects 27.6 +/- 8.6 pg/ml; offspring of essentially hypertensive subjects 25.6 +/- 7.7 pg/ml; essentially hypertensive subjects 45.5 +/- 24.9* pg/ml* (P less than 0.005). In the second part of our study, we evaluated the plasma levels of this hormone in a group of subjects undergoing dialysis. The group consisted of 21 subjects (12 males, 9 females, mean age 63.1 +/- 10.5 years), 11 of whom were affected by EAH. ANP evaluation was done during the dialysis after a "long" dialytic interval of three days. Both groups showed a noticeable increase in ANP levels, even if the hypertensive group had overall higher values (254.5 +/- 134.9 pg/ml, vs. 188.7 +/- 113.7 pg/ml). All subjects, after dialysis, had ANP values significantly lower than the initial ones.

Aged↗

[Evaluation of the efficacy and tolerability of a fixed dose combination of captopril (CPT) 50 mg and hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) 15 mg in the elderly].

In this double blind study we have evaluated the efficacy and tolerability of the association Captopril 50 mg + hydrochlorothiazide 15 mg/die vs hydrochlorothiazide 25 mg/die in aged patients with hypertension. Both drugs showed a good antihypertensive efficacy, and a better efficacy on diastolic blood pressure was shown by the association Captopril + hydrochlorothiazide.

Aged↗

A double-blind comparative study of ketanserin with atenolol in essential hypertension.

Sixty patients, with mild to moderate essential hypertension, were considered for a double-blind trial comparing the effects of ketanserin and atenolol. After 2 weeks of placebo, a group of 30 patients was given ketanserin 20 mg twice daily for 15 days and 40 mg twice daily for the subsequent 45 days, while the second group (30 patients) was given atenolol for 60 days at the dose of 100 mg once daily. Blood pressure and pulse rate in the supine and standing positions were evaluated every 15 days. After the beginning of treatment with ketanserin, there was a gradual but highly significant decrease of the diastolic and systolic blood pressure values. No important side-effects or significant alterations in the biochemical parameters considered were observed during treatment with ketanserin.

Adult↗

[Rapid method for evaluating intra-erythrocyte Na+ activity].

The measurements of intracellular "Na+ activity" was performed in 10 ml of heparinized venous blood. First the blood was three times washed in isotonic magnesium chloride solution (114 mmol/l). Thereby the buffy coat was removed. Then the microhematrocrit was taken for packet cell volume determination. After the erythrocytes were lysed by ultrasound. Sodium "Na+ Activity" is measured in the hemolysate by Ion-Selective electrode. With this method all "pipetting" operations are eliminated and for the "Na+ activity" determination was used ion-selective electrode with an indirect measurements, which is less influenced by the matrix. Reference intervals determined for a healthy population were 7.3 +/- 0.6 mmol/l.

Adolescent↗

[Evaluation of intra-erythrocyte Na+ activity in persons at high risk for essential arterial hypertension and as an aid in differential diagnosis from secondary forms of hypertension].

The intracellular "Na+ activity" was measured in erythrocytes of normotensive subjects (46), in essential hypertensive patients (18), in their children (20) and in patients with secondary hypertension (8). In normotensive subjects without a genetic trait of hypertension intracellular "Na+ activity" was 7.3 +/- 0.8 mmol/l, in secondary hypertensive patients was 7.5 +/- 0.6 mmol/l, in essential hypertensive patients was 10.9 +/- 1.1 mmol/l and in their children was 8.6 +/- 2.1 mmol/l. In this group (children) it was possible to differentiate between 2 population, the 1 degree with height intracellular "Na+ activity" (8); the 2 degrees with normal intracellular "Na+ activity".

Diagnosis, Differential↗