Melatonin reduces oxidative stress and improves vascular function in pulmonary hypertensive newborn sheep

Pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PHN) constitutes a critical condition with severe cardiovascular and neurological consequences. One of its main causes is hypoxia during gestation, and thus, it is a public health concern in populations living above 2500 m. Although some mechanisms are recognized, the pathophysiological facts that lead to PHN are not fully understood, which explains the lack of an effective treatment. Oxidative stress is one of the proposed mechanisms inducing pulmonary vascular dysfunction and PHN. Therefore, we assessed whether melatonin, a potent antioxidant, improves pulmonary vascular function. Twelve newborn sheep were gestated, born, and raised at 3600 meters. At 3 days old, lambs were catheterized and daily cardiovascular measurements were recorded. Lambs were divided into two groups, one received daily vehicle as control and another received daily melatonin (1 mg/kg/d), for 8 days. At 11 days old, lung tissue and small pulmonary arteries (SPA) were collected. Melatonin decreased pulmonary pressure and resistance for the first 3 days of treatment. Further, melatonin significantly improved the vasodilator function of SPA, enhancing the endothelial‐ and muscular‐dependent pathways. This was associated with an enhanced nitric oxide‐dependent and nitric oxide independent vasodilator components and with increased nitric oxide bioavailability in lung tissue. Further, melatonin reduced the pulmonary oxidative stress markers and increased enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidant capacity. Finally, these effects were associated with an increase of lumen diameter and a mild decrease in the wall of the pulmonary arteries. These outcomes support the use of melatonin as an adjuvant in the treatment for PHN.     

Impact of medication therapy management on pharmacotherapy safety in an intensive care unit

Background Drug-related problems are mostly preventable or predictable circumstances that may impact on health outcomes. Clinical pharmacy activities such as medication therapy management can identify and solve these problems, with potential to improve medication safety and effectiveness. Objective To evaluate ability of medication therapy management service to detect drug-related problems and prevent adverse drug events. This study also aimed to assess the risk factors for drugrelated problem occurrence. Setting Medical intensive care unit of a public tertiary hospital in Brazil. Methods Patients were evaluated by a clinical pharmacist, who provided medication therapy management service. Detected drug-related problems were categorized according to the Pharmaceutical Care Network Europe methodology and analyzed in multinomial regression to identify risk factors. Main outcome measure Potential risk factors for drug-related problem occurrence. Results The proposed medication therapy management service allowed detection of 170 drug-related problems that had potential to reach patients causing harm and other 50 unavoidable adverse events. Drug-related problems identified were more often associated with antibacterial use, caused by improper combinations or inadequate drug dosage. These problems required interventions that were accepted by the multidisciplinary team, resulting in more than 85% adherence and total problem solving. Main risk factors identified were previous diagnosis of kidney injury (OR?=?8.38), use of midazolam (OR?=?7.96), furosemide (OR?=?5.87) and vancomycin (OR?=?4.82). Conclusion Medication therapy management proved to be an effective method not only for drug-related problem detection, but also for adverse drug event prevention, contributing to improve patient safety.

     

Sources of cortical rhythms change as a function of cognitive impairment in pathological aging: a multicenter study.

OBJECTIVE: The present study tested the hypothesis that cortical electroencephalographic (EEG) rhythms. change across normal elderly (Nold), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and Alzheimer's disease (AD) subjects as a function of the global cognitive level. METHODS: Resting eyes-closed EEG data were recorded in 155 MCI, 193 mild AD, and 126 age-matched Nold subjects. EEG rhythms of interest were delta (2-4 Hz), theta (4-8 Hz), alpha 1 (8-10.5 Hz), alpha 2 (10.5-13 Hz), beta 1 (13-20 Hz), and beta 2 (20-30 Hz). EEG cortical sources were estimated by LORETA. RESULTS: Occipital delta and alpha 1 sources in parietal, occipital, temporal, and 'limbic' areas had an intermediate magnitude in MCI subjects compared to mild AD and Nold subjects. These five EEG sources presented both linear and nonlinear (linear, exponential, logarithmic, and power) correlations with the global cognitive level (as revealed by mini mental state examination score) across all subjects. CONCLUSIONS: Cortical EEG rhythms change in pathological aging as a function of the global cognitive level. SIGNIFICANCE: The present functional data on large populations support the 'transitional hypothesis' of a shadow zone across normality, pre-clinical stage of dementia (MCI), and AD.     

Body mass and acute myocardial infarction. GISSI-EFRIM Investigators.

BACKGROUND. The relation between body mass index and acute myocardial infarction was analyzed using data from a multicentric case-control study conducted in Italy between September 1988 and June 1989 within the framework of the GISSI-2 trial. METHODS. Subjects were 916 patients with acute myocardial infarction and no history of cardiovascular disease and 1,106 controls hospitalized for acute conditions not related to known or suspected risk factors for ischaemic heart disease. RESULTS. Relative to the lowest quintile of the Quetelet Index (weight/height2) the estimated risks for subsequent quintiles were 1.2 (95% confidence intervals, (CI): 0.9 to 1.6), 1.7 (95% CI: 1.2 to 2.2), 1.8 (95% CI: 1.4 to 2.4), and 2.2 (95% CI: 1.7 to 3.0) when adjustment was made for age, sex, education, and smoking habits by means of logistic regression. The association was consistent across strata of sex, education, and smoking status, but not age. The estimated risk for subjects in the fifth quintile of the Quetelet Index relative to those in the first was 4.1 under 55 years of age, but only 1.7 between 55 and 64 years and 1.5 above age 65. CONCLUSION. The relation between body mass and myocardial infarction was explained, at least in part, by higher serum cholesterol levels and the prevalence of diabetes and hypertension among fatter subjects. This does not, however, totally eclipse a possible causal relation between body mass and risk of myocardial infarction, since these conditions are a consequence, rather than a confounder, of overweight.     

Regional cerebral blood flow in essential hypertension: data evaluation by a mapping system

Regional cerebral blood flow was studied by means of the 133Xe inhalation method in 26 untreated and 10 treated patients with essential hypertension. The untreated subjects were divided into newly and previously diagnosed groups to assess the relation between regional cerebral blood flow and the duration of hypertension. The overall flow reduction was more marked in the frontal and temporal regions in the previously diagnosed group, and this was attributed to pathological changes in the district served by the middle cerebral artery. Regional temporal lobe impairment was also noted in the newly diagnosed and treated subjects. A significant correlation was found between regional cerebral blood flow and mean arterial blood pressure.     

Tadalafil in the treatment of erectile dysfunction; an overview of the clinical evidence

Prevalence and severity of erectile dysfunction (ED) increase with aging and are often associated with illnesses, like diabetes mellitus, heart disease, and hypertension, pathologically characterized by endothelial dysfunction and whose prevalence increases with age. The assumption that ED is mainly a neurovascular disease is supported by the evidence that specific phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibition produces an efficient erection in a wide range of ages and conditions. The availability of specific PDE5 inhibitors has enabled the development of effective treatment strategies, in this contest, tadalafil may be considered as the least “typical” PDE5 inhibitor. In clinical trials, tadalafil significantly enhanced, in patients of different ages, all efficacy outcomes across disease etiologies and severities. With an effectiveness lasting up to 36h, tadalafil allows patients to choose when to have sexual activities without the need to time it, showing positive feedback in terms of quality of life related to the treatment. Headache and dyspepsia were the most frequent side-effects of tadalafil, followed by back pain, nasal congestion, myalgia, and flushing, but the impact that long time action could have on effectiveness and safety is not yet entirely defined. The aim of this article is to critically review the available evidence from the tadalafil clinical research program and give the physician a rational approach for intervention in the treatment of ED and related diseases.