Effect of different vasodilators on NTPDase activity in healthy and hypertensive patients.

Introduction: The thrombogenic process that affects the hypertensive patient is associated with regulatory mechanisms present in the vascular endothelium. These mechanisms involve release of an endothelium-derived relaxing factor, ectonucleotidase activity and calcium ion concentration.

Methods: Interference with ENTPDase activity in platelets of hypertensive patients and healthy donors was evaluated for arginine, sodium nitroprusside, and hydralazine.

Effect of high glucose levels in human platelet NTPDase and 5'-nucleotidase activities.

Objectives: The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of different glucose levels on the ATP, ADP and AMP hydrolysis in the platelets of diabetic, hypertensive and diabetic/hypertensive participants.

Methods: The activities of the enzymes NTPDase (ATP and ADP hydrolysis) and 5'-nucleotidase (AMP hydrolysis), and CD39 expression were analyzed in human blood platelets of diabetic (DM-2), hypertensive (HT) and diabetic/hypertensive (DM-2/HT) patients. To evaluate the interference of glucose and fructose in NTPDase and 5'-nucleotidase activities, experiments were performed with glucose, fructose and mannitol concentrations ranging from 5 to 30 mM in platelet-rich plasma (PRP).

Oxidative stress and erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in hypertensive and ischemic patients of both acute and chronic stages.

Ischemic stroke is a leading cause of mortality and disability particularly in the elderly. Hypertension is the most important risk factor in strokes, representing roughly 70% of all cases. Oxidative stress is believed to be one of the mechanisms taking part in neuronal damage in stroke.

Serum cholinesterase activity in diabetes and associated pathologies.

Serum cholinesterase activity was measured in diabetes, hypertensive and diabetic/hypertensive patients. The sample consisted of volunteer patients and was divided in a control group (n=26), type 2 diabetic group (n=16), hypertensive group (n=12) and type 2 diabetic/hypertensive group (n=26). In addition, blood glucose, cholesterol and triglyceride levels were determined.