Characterisation of hypertensive patients with improved endothelial function after dark chocolate consumption.

Recent findings indicate an inverse relationship between cardiovascular disease and consumption of flavonoids. We aimed to identify clinical and vascular parameters of treated hypertensive who present beneficial effects of dark chocolate for one-week period on vascular function. Twenty-one hypertensive subjects, aged 40-65 years, were included in a prospective study with measurement of blood pressure (BP), brachial flow-mediated dilatation (FMD), peripheral arterial tonometry, and central hemodynamic parameters.

Response to on-demand vardenafil was improved by its daily usage in hypertensive men.

Objective: To evaluate whether the response to on-demand vardenafil could be improved by its daily usage in hypertensive men with erectile dysfunction (ED) who previously did not answer to on-demand regime.

Methods: Our main efficacy criterion was per patient percentage of positive answers on the Sexual Encounter Profile question 3 (SEP3). Carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), flow-mediated dilation (FMD), and nitrate-mediated dilation on brachial artery were considered as vascular parameters.

Evaluation of clinical variables associated with increased carotid intima-media thickness in middle-aged hypertensive women.

It has been previously documented that carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) is a predictor of cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to identify clinical parameters associated with an increased cIMT treated hypertensive women. Female patients (n = 116) with essential hypertension, aged 40-65 years, were included in this study.

Cardiac fibrosis and vascular remodeling are attenuated by metformin in obese rats.

Background: Human obesity has been associated with alterations of vascular structure, especially in large and medium arteries, but the effects of insulin-sensitizers are not well known.

Methods: Twenty-five male Wistar rats received subcutaneous injections of monosodium glutamate (MSG) or an equivalent volume of vehicle from the second to the sixth day after birth, At 16 weeks of age, five MSG rats started receiving an oral treatment with metformin (300 mg/kg) which was maintained for six weeks, composing five groups: control 16 weeks (CON-16), MSG 16 weeks (MSG-16), control 22 weeks (CON-22), MSG 22 weeks (MSG-22), and MSG plus metformin 22 weeks (MET-22). Systolic blood pressure (BP) was verified weekly.

Eplerenone offsets cardiac and aortic adverse remodeling in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Background: Several studies have shown beneficial effects of eplerenone in hypertension and left ventricular dysfunction, but its action on cardiac and vascular changes secondary to blood pressure elevation are not clear yet.

Methods: Twenty-five male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) were assigned into five groups: young SHR (16 weeks), control SHR (22 weeks), and SHR treated by eplerenone (50 mg/kg/day), enalapril (10 mg/kg/day) or eplerenone+enalapril during 6 weeks. Five Wistar male rats were used as reference group.