Search results for "AGENTS"

EndothelinA receptor antagonist BSF-208075 causes immune modulation and neuroprotection after stroke in gerbils.

2005

Leukocytes contribute to the ischemia-reperfusion injury. Recent studies suggested endothelins could be important mediators for leukocyte activation in stroke. We tested if the endothelinA receptor antagonist BSF-208075 (ambrisentan) could reduce an ischemic lesion by modulation of leukocyte-endothelium interactions. Twenty-four gerbils underwent either a sham operation (n=6) or 15 min of bilateral carotid artery occlusion resulting in global cerebral ischemia. Ischemic animals received normal saline (n=6), 5 mg/kg BSF-208075 (n=6) or 30 mg/kg (n=6) administered intravenously at 10 min of reperfusion. Leukocytes rolling or adhering to endothelium were counted by intravital microscopy in par…

Comparison of the contractile effects of endothelin-1 and sarafotoxin S6b in goat isolated cerebral arteries

1992

1. The effects of endothelium-derived endothelin-1 and snake venom-derived sarafotoxin S6b, peptides with striking structural and functional similarities, were examined and compared in isolated middle cerebral arteries of goats. 2. Endothelin-1 and sarafotoxin S6b contracted cerebral arteries in a concentration-dependent manner. The potency of endothelin-1 (EC50 = 4.9 (3.9-6.2) x 10(-10) M) was about ten times higher than that of sarafotoxin S6b (EC50 = 5.5 (4.4-6.9) x 10(-9) M). The tension returned to basal values after repeated washings and contraction with endothelin-1 could be reproduced. Endothelin-1 and sarafotoxin S6b induced further contraction in arteries precontracted with prosta…

The effects of ezetimibe on LDL-cholesterol: quantitative or qualitative changes ?

2009

Ezetimibe represents the first of a new class of agents, the cholesterol absorption inhibitors, able to reduce low-density lipoproteins (LDL)-cholesterol by 15-25% from baseline in monotherapy and on top of statins and fibrates. To-date all the data regarding the efficacy of ezetimibe comes from the studies of its lipid-lowering power. Yet, recent findings from the ENHANCE study on atherosclerosis progression showed that the addition of ezetimibe to simvastatin in patients with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia did not affect the mean change in carotid intima-media thickness, although a significant reduction in LDL-cholesterol levels was present. Therefore, we cannot exclude that e…

The differential effects of thiazolidindiones on atherogenic dyslipidemia in type 2 diabetes: what is the clinical significance?

2008

Diabetic dyslipidemia is typically characterized by an increase in plasma triglycerides, a decrease in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and a concomitant increase in atherogenic small dense low-density lipoproteins. Thiazolidindiones are able to lower the levels of fasting glucose and glycated hemoglobin significantly by improving insulin sensitivity, as well as improving some aspects of diabetic dyslipidemia: total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol tend to increase while triglycerides are generally decreased.This paper reviewed the effects of pioglitazone and rosiglitazone on atherogenic diabetic dyslipidemia, in particular on sma…

Is elimination of HCV in 2030 realistic in Central Europe.

2021

According to the recent data presented by Central-European HCV experts, the estimated prevalence of HCV is between 0.2% and 1.7% in certain countries in this region. There are no financial limitations to access to treatment in most countries. Patients in these countries have access to at least one pangenotypic regimen. The most common barriers to the elimination of HCV in Central Europe are a lack of established national screening programmes and limited political commitment to the elimination of HCV. Covid-19 has significantly affected the number of patients who have been diagnosed and treated, thus, delaying the potential elimination of HCV. These data suggest that the elimination of HCV e…

Cardiac safety and potential efficacy: two reasons for considering minocycline in place of azithromycin in COVID-19 management

2020

Currently, there is no effective therapy for COVID-19, and several approaches are under investigation. Nevertheless, some drugs are used off-label despite the absence of clear data on their effectiveness. Among these, hydroxychloroquine suppresses SARS-CoV-2 replication in vitro,1 and clinical trials are ongoing to evaluate its use as an anti-COVID-19 agent. To date, the FDA and EMA allow its use only in hospitalized patients with severe COVID-19 or in those at high risk, in cases where other trials are not feasible. According to a small non-randomized study, hydroxychloroquine’s efficacy might be enhanced by azithromycin, as the combination of these two drugs appeared to accelerate viral c…

Comment on “Chronic spontaneous urticaria exacerbation in a patient with COVID‐19: rapid and excellent response to omalizumab”

2020

Effect of chronic exercise and ATP-sensitive potassium channel blockade on the spectral characteristics evolution of ventricular fibrillation in acut…

2013

Purpose: It has been proposed that chronic exercise produces a KATP channel blockade in ischemic myocardium. We have also reported that channel blockade and training exert very similar effects on energy required to defibrillate. In fact it is postulated that one mechanism by which exercise exerts an antiarrhythmic effect, is by blocking KATP channel. We have analyzed the evolution of spectrum characteristics of ventricular fibrillation (VF), in normoxic conditions and after acute myocardial ischemia, in isolated hearts from trained rabbits, and in hearts submitted to KATP channel blockade. Our hypothesis is that the spectrum characteristics of VF evolve similarly in trained hearts and in he…

Optimizing the use of linaclotide in patients with constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome : an expert consensus report

2017

INTRODUCTION: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional bowel disorder characterized by chronic or recurrent abdominal pain in association with defecation or a change in bowel habits. A predominant disorder of bowel habits, IBS is classified into three main subtypes: constipation-predominant IBS (IBS-C), diarrhea-predominant IBS (IBS-D) and IBS alternating between constipation and diarrhea (IBS-M). Linaclotide is a first-in-class, oral, once-daily guanylate cyclase-C receptor agonist (GC-CA) that is licensed for the symptomatic treatment of moderate-to-severe IBS-C in adults. This review aims to facilitate and optimize clinical practices, establishing common guidelines to monitor patie…

Medical abortion: Teratogenic effects of misoprostol.

2015

Some 40 million abortions are performed around the world every year. In Spain, this figure reached 112,390 in 2011. Of these, approximately 5% were medical abortions. This percentage varies widely ...