Search results for "dysfunction"
showing 10 items of 1129 documents
Arterial stiffness in symptomatic smokers with normal lung function
2017
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Arterial stiffness and endothelial dysfunction index are validated surrogate cardiovascular markers and are increased in subjects with COPD. We tested whether increased arterial stiffness and endothelial dysfunction occur in symptomatic smokers with no evidence of bronchial obstruction. Clinical and lung functional assessments were conducted in smoker subjects with chronic respiratory symptoms and in COPD patients. Pulse wave velocity (PWV), aortic augmentation index (AIx) and reactive hyperaemia index (RHI) were measured to estimate the cardiovascular risk. 48 smokers (male n=37, female …
Systemic Thrombolytic Therapy for Acute Pulmonary Embolism: Who Is a Candidate?
2017
Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a major cause of both acute and long-term morbidity for a large number of patients worldwide, and massive PE is frequently fatal. Right ventricular (RV) dysfunction is a key determinant of prognosis in the acute phase of PE. Patients with clinically overt RV failure, that is, with cardiogenic shock or persistent hypotension at presentation (acute high-risk PE), are clearly in need of immediate reperfusion treatment with systemic thrombolysis or, alternatively, surgical or catheter-directed techniques. On the other hand, within the large group of patients presenting without hemodynamic instability, the bleeding risk of full-dose intravenous thrombolytic treatment h…
Novel therapeutical approaches to managing atherosclerotic risk
2021
Atherosclerosis is a multifactorial vascular disease that leads to inflammation and stiffening of the arteries and decreases their elasticity due to the accumulation of calcium, small dense Low Density Lipoproteins (sdLDL), inflammatory cells, and fibrotic material. A review of studies pertaining to cardiometabolic risk factors, lipids alterations, hypolipidemic agents, nutraceuticals, hypoglycaemic drugs, atherosclerosis, endothelial dysfunction, and inflammation was performed. There are several therapeutic strategies including Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors, inclisiran, bempedoic acid, Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), and nutraceuticals t…
Individualized counselling for active aging: protocol of a single-blinded, randomized controlled trial among older people (the AGNES intervention stu…
2019
Background: Active aging has been established as a policy goal for aging societies. We define active aging at the individual level as striving for elements of well-being through activities in relation to a person’s goals, functional capacities and opportunities. Increasing evidence suggests that any meaningful activity is beneficial for different aspects of well-being in older people. The aim of the present randomized controlled trial is to test the feasibility and effectiveness of a one-year community-based intervention on active aging. The AGNES intervention aims at increasing older peoples’ participation in self-selected valued activities. Methods: The proposed study is a two-arm single-…
Mindfulness, rumination, and coping skills in young women with Eating Disorders: A comparative study with healthy controls
2019
Eating Disorders (ED) have been associated with dysfunctional coping strategies, such as rumination. Promoting alternative ways of experiencing mental events, based on a mindfulness approach, might be the clue for learning more effective coping and regulatory strategies among young women with ED. This study examined the comparison between patients with ED diagnosis and healthy subjects in mindfulness, rumination and effective coping. In addition, we analyzed the independent association of those with the presence of ED. The study sample was formed by two groups of young women ranged 13-21 years: Twenty-five with an ED diagnosis and 25 healthy subjects. They were assessed by using the Freibur…
Inhibition of Rac1 GTPase Decreases Vascular Oxidative Stress, Improves Endothelial Function, and Attenuates Atherosclerosis Development in Mice
2021
Aims: Oxidative stress and inflammation contribute to atherogenesis. Rac1 GTPase regulates pro-oxidant NADPH oxidase activity, reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation, actin cytoskeleton organization and monocyte adhesion. We investigated the vascular effects of pharmacological inhibition of Rac1 GTPase in mice.Methods and Results: We treated wild-type and apolipoprotein E-deficient (ApoE−/−) mice with Clostridium sordellii lethal toxin (LT), a Rac1 inhibitor, and assessed vascular oxidative stress, expression and activity of involved proteins, endothelial function, macrophage infiltration, and atherosclerosis development. LT-treated wild-type mice displayed decreased vascular NADPH oxidase…
Peripheral artery disease: potential role of ACE-inhibitor therapy
2008
Giuseppe Coppola, Giuseppe Romano, Egle Corrado, Rosa Maria Grisanti, Salvatore NovoDepartment of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular and Nephro-Urological Diseases, Chair of Cardiovascular Disease, University of Palermo, Palermo, ItalyAbstract: Subjects with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) of the lower limbs are at high risk for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events and the prevalence of coronary artery disease in such patients is elevated. Recent studies have shown that regular use of cardiovascular medications, such as therapeutic and preventive agents for PAD patients, seems to be promising in reducing long-term mortality and morbidity. The angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) system…
Cost-effectiveness of zofenopril in patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction after acute myocardial infarction: a post hoc analysis of SMI…
2013
Claudio Borghi,1 Ettore Ambrosioni,1 Stefano Omboni,2 Arrigo FG Cicero,1 Stefano Bacchelli,1 Daniela Degli Esposti,1 Salvatore Novo,3 Dragos Vinereanu,4 Giuseppe Ambrosio,5 Giorgio Reggiardo,6 Dario Zava7 1Unit of Internal Medicine, Policlinico S Orsola, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy; 2Italian Institute of Telemedicine, Varese, Italy; 3Division of Cardiology, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy; 4University and Emergency Hospital, Bucharest, Romania; 5Division of Cardiology, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy; 6Mediservice, Milano, Italy; 7Istituto Lusofarmaco d'Italia SpA, Peschiera Borromeo, Italy Background: In SMILE-4 (the Survival of Myocardial Infarction Long-term…
Randomised comparison of zofenopril and ramipril plus acetylsalicylic acid in postmyocardial infarction patients with left ventricular systolic dysfu…
2015
Objective Conflicting evidence exists on the benefits of treating patients with coronary artery disease and preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) with an ACE inhibitor. This retrospective analysis of the SMILE-4 Study sought to compare the efficacy of zofenopril 60 mg plus acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) versus ramipril 10 mg plus ASA 100 mg in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and heart failure, according to an impaired or preserved LVEF. Methods The primary study end point was 1-year combined occurrence of death or hospitalisation for cardiovascular causes. A preserved LVEF was defined by a baseline LVEF >40% and an impaired one by an LVEF ≤40%. Results 448 patients…
Diuretic vs. placebo in intermediate-risk acute pulmonary embolism: a randomized clinical trial
2022
Abstract Aims The role of diuretics in patients with intermediate-risk pulmonary embolism (PE) is controversial. In this multicentre, double-blind trial, we randomly assigned normotensive patients with intermediate-risk PE to receive either a single 80 mg bolus of furosemide or a placebo. Methods and results Eligible patients had at least a simplified PE Severity Index (sPESI) ≥1 with right ventricular dysfunction. The primary efficacy endpoint assessed 24 h after randomization included (i) absence of oligo-anuria and (ii) normalization of all sPESI items. Safety outcomes were worsening renal function and major adverse outcomes at 48 hours defined by death, cardiac arrest, mechanical ventil…