The effect of civil and military flights on coagulation, fibrinolysis and blood flow: insight from a rat model.

Background: Air travel thrombosis continues to be a controversial topic. Exposure to hypoxia and hypobaric conditions during air travel is assumed a risk factor. The aim of this study is to explore changes in parameters of coagulation, fibrinolysis and blood flow in a rat model of exposure to hypobaric conditions that imitate commercial and combat flights.

Saccharin Increases Fasting Blood Glucose but Not Liver Insulin Resistance in Comparison to a High Fructose-Fed Rat Model.

Recent data indicate that artificial sweeteners (AS) may have deleterious effects on glucose metabolism. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of AS and the effects of a high fructose diet (HFrD) on glucose metabolism and insulin resistance (IR) in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. SD rats were fed either regular chow, chow with saccharin (Sac) (0.

Neutral endopeptidase inhibitor versus angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor in a rat model of the metabolic syndrome.

The antihypertensive treatment in patients with metabolic syndrome is unclear. We therefore used a rat model of the metabolic syndrome and compared the effects of enalapril, an angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitor, with candoxatril, a neutral endopeptidase inhibitor that inhibits degradation of atrial natriuretic peptide and, in addition to lowering blood pressure, exerts metabolically beneficial activity. Ten male Sprague Dawley rats were fed regular rat chow for 5 weeks.

Normal adiponectin levels in kidney transplant patients with hypertension.

Background: Kidney transplant patients are a unique population where despite correction of their kidney function they are still considered to be at high cardiovascular (CV) risk. Adiponectin, an adipokine secreted from adipocytes, has protective CV properties. Patients with essential hypertension (HTN) have low adiponectin levels that are associated with a high CV risk.

Effects of allicin on cardiovascular risk factors in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Background: Allium sativum, the active ingredient in garlic, is known to have a beneficial effect on major cardiovascular risk factors, including dyslipidemia, blood pressure, blood glucose and insulin levels. However, the data on the significance of these effects are inconsistent due to methodological limitations, especially the use of whole garlic cloves which does not allow controlled dosing of the active compound.

Objectives: To study the effects of purified allicin on the cardiovascular system.

Ambient illuminance, retinal dopamine release and refractive development in chicks.

Form deprivation and low illuminance of ambient light are known to induce myopia in chicks. Low concentrations of retinal dopamine, a light-driven neurohormone, was previously shown to be associated with form deprivation myopia. In the present study we examined the dependence of retinal dopamine release in chicks on illuminance during light-dark cycles and in continuous light, and the role of retinal dopamine release in illuminance dependent refractive development.

Blunted blood pressure response and elevated plasma adiponectin levels in female Sprague Dawley rats.

Background: Premenopausal women have lower blood pressure (BP) levels than men of similar age. Adiponectin has been shown to play a role in the pathogenesis of hypertension. The aim of the present study was to compare the effect of various stress stimuli on BP and plasma adiponectin levels in male and female Sprague Dawley (SD) rats.

Orthostatic hypotension is associated with nocturnal change in systolic blood pressure.

Background: The circadian pattern of blood pressure (BP) has yet to be defined among individuals with orthostatic hypotension (OH). The objective of this study was to evaluate whether OH is associated with nocturnal change in systolic BP.

Methods: In a prospective study, we evaluated patients who were referred for 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM).

Effect of non-drug interventions on arterial properties determined from 24-h ambulatory blood pressure measurements.

Measures derived from the slope of the linear relationship between systolic and diastolic pressures obtained by 24-h ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) measurements incorporate clinical and prognostic information, and are believed to be vascular markers. Using post hoc analysis, we investigated potential changes of these 'slope-related measures' in three different studies conducted in hypertensive patients with before and after 24-h ABP measurements, and also evaluated the sensitivity of the results to the analysis method. Two interventional studies included 8-week device-guided breathing (DGB) exercised by 13 patients with uncontrolled blood pressure (BP), and a 6-month mineral potassium chloride-enriched diet administered to 20 elderly patients.

Hepatic effects of rosiglitazone in rats with the metabolic syndrome.

Rats given fructose-enriched diet develop many characteristics of the human metabolic syndrome and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. In this study, we characterized the hepatic effects of rosiglitazone in fructose-enriched diet rats. Rats were randomly divided into three groups.

Recognizing malingering hypertension in young adults.

Objective: Hypertension is unusual in young adults. Malingering hypertension is clinically suspected when there is a potential external secondary gain, absence of patient cooperation during diagnostic evaluation and a lack of response to antihypertensive treatment. The aim of this study was to investigate the possibility that abnormal ambulatory blood pressure patterns may be indicative of malingering hypertension rather than hypertension itself.

High-salt diet increases plasma adiponectin levels independent of blood pressure in hypertensive rats: the role of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system.

Background: High sodium intake is associated with increased risk of end-organ damage, independent of blood pressure (BP) levels. The protective peptide adiponectin may play a role in the pathogenesis of hypertension and particularly in salt-loaded conditions. Furthermore, increased adiponectin levels were observed in salt-loaded conditions.

Production and secretion of adiponectin from 3T3-L1 adipocytes: comparison of antihypertensive drugs.

Background: Adiponectin is an important vascular protective adipocytokine that possesses antidiabetic, antiatherogenic, and anti-inflammatory properties. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of various antihypertensive drugs on the production and secretion of adiponectin from adipocytes.

Methods: 3T3-L1 adipocytes were incubated for 6 h with increased doses of the following drugs: hydrochlorothiazide, atenolol, losartan, telmisartan, captopril, and nifedipine.

Metabolic syndrome: comparison of the two commonly used animal models.

Background: The etiology of the metabolic syndrome (MS) includes both genetic and environmental factors. The two most commonly studied animal models of the MS are the high-sucrose diet given to spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) and high-fructose diet given to Sprague Dawley rats (SDRs). This study compares between these two models.

Effect of telmisartan, angiotensin II receptor antagonist, on metabolic profile in fructose-induced hypertensive, hyperinsulinemic, hyperlipidemic rats.

The metabolic syndrome (MS) is a common risk factor for cardiovascular disease and type-2 diabetes. Recently, telmisartan, an angiotensin II receptor antagonist that has an antihypertensive effect, has been reported to be a partial peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) agonist. The anti-diabetic hormone adiponectin has been recognized as a marker of in vivo PPARgamma activation.

The role of melatonin in the pathogenesis of hypertension in rats with metabolic syndrome.

Background: Melatonin, the primary hormone of the pineal gland, is a known modulator of various physiological processes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of melatonin in the pathogenesis of hypertension in rats with metabolic syndrome and to assess whether melatonin supplementation prevents the development of hypertension in this model.

Methods: Twenty male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were fed either a high fructose diet (n = 10) or a regular diet (control; n = 10) for 5 weeks.

[Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring in diabetic hypertensive patients].

This study aimed to evaluate the frequency of attenuated decline in nocturnal blood pressure (BP) in diabetic hypertensive patients, and characterize those who don't decrease BP during nighttime. A total of 61 hypertensive patients (26 males and 35 females, mean age 65.8+/-10) were included in the study.

Effect of PPAR-gamma agonist on adiponectin levels in the metabolic syndrome: lessons from the high fructose fed rat model.

Background: The health hazard of the metabolic syndrome (MS) is increasing, yet there is no effective pharmacologic treatment to this entity as a whole. Recently, hypoadiponectinemia was found to play an important role in the development of MS. We studied the effect of the PPAR-gamma agonist rosiglitazone on adiponectin and the metabolic profile in the fructose-induced hypertensive, hyperinsulinemic, hypertriglyceridemic rat model.

Melatonin reduces night blood pressure in patients with nocturnal hypertension.

Purpose: Nocturnal hypertension is associated with a high risk of morbidity and mortality. A blunted nocturnal surge in melatonin excretion has been described in nondipping hypertensive patients. We therefore studied the potency of melatonin to reduce nighttime blood pressure (BP) in treated hypertensive patients with nocturnal hypertension.

Peripartum hypertension from pheochromocytoma: a rare and challenging entity.

Background: Pheochromocytoma, a rare and usually curable cause of hypertension, is characterized by symptoms and signs related to increased catecholamine secretion. Pregnancy can elicit clinical manifestations of otherwise unrecognized pheochromocytoma.

Methods And Results: Four women, ranging in age from 27 to 37 years, were referred to the hypertension clinic with the following presentations: 1) a 35-year-old woman, diagnosed with gestational hypertension and headaches during the third trimester of her pregnancy and 5 months after delivery, was hospitalized with pulmonary edema.

Endothelin A antagonist LU-135252 and trandolapril in the treatment of the Cohen-Rosenthal diabetic hypertensive rat.

Background: Hypertension and non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) often occur simultaneously and the combination requires vigorous control of hypertension. This can generally be achieved by a combination of antihypertensive drugs. The present study examines the antihypertensive and possible hypoglycemic effects of combined therapy with endothelin A (ETA) receptor antagonist LU-135252 and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor trandolapril in male Cohen-Rosenthal Diabetic Hypertensive (CRDH) rats.

Does dietary recall adequately assess sodium, potassium, and calcium intake in hypertensive patients?

Objective: A diet low in sodium, high in potassium, and high in calcium is recommended to lower blood pressure. However, compliance with this diet is poor, probably because of dietary intake underestimation. Therefore, we compared electrolyte intake as estimated from dietary recall with a 24-h urinary excretion.

24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring in children with familial dysautonomia.

Background: Familial dysautonomia (Riley Day syndrome) is a genetic disease. The present study of 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring in children with familial dysautonomia was carried out to investigate the pattern of blood pressure in this syndrome.

Objective: To the best of our knowledge, this is the only description of patients with 24-hour blood pressure monitoring.

Allylmercaptocaptopril: a new antihypertensive drug.

Allylmercaptocaptopril (CPSSA) was synthesized by reacting captopril with pure allicin. Fructose-induced hypertensive groups of rats were fed a fructose-rich diet for 3 weeks, and then received the diet plus either CPSSA (40 to 56 mg or 138 to 194 micromol/L/kg/d) or captopril (80 mg or 369 micromol/L/kg/d) for 2 more weeks. CPSSA (both doses) significantly lowered blood pressure (BP) from 153.

The effects of allicin on weight in fructose-induced hyperinsulinemic, hyperlipidemic, hypertensive rats.

Background: Commercially available garlic preparations in the form of garlic oil, garlic powder and pills are widely used for certain therapeutic purposes, including lowering blood pressure and improving lipid profile. Despite the impressive effects of garlic most studies are limited by lack of controlled methods and suitable double-blinding, and by the use of preparations with unknown amounts and chemical identification of the active ingredient. Allicin, a synthetic preparation of an active constituent of garlic, was found to lower blood pressure, insulin, and triglycerides levels in fructose-fed rats.