Analysis of antihypertensive effects of statins.

Hypertension and hyperlipidemia, two powerful risk factors of cardiovascular disease (CVD), often coexist. Therefore, treatment should consider the beneficial properties of drugs used to treat either condition. Statins, the mainstay of lipid-lowering therapy, result in a significant clinical benefit both in primary and secondary CVD prevention.

Dyslipidemia in patients with thyroid disorders.

Thyroid disorders are known to influence lipid metabolism and are common in dyslipidemic patients. Overt and subclinical hypothyroidism have an adverse effect on the serum lipid profile that may predispose to the development of atherosclerotic disease. Although thyroid substitution therapy is beneficial for patients with overt hypothyroidism, the question of whether subclinical hypothyroidism must be treated remains unanswered.

Dyslipidaemia, hypercoagulability and the metabolic syndrome.

The metabolic syndrome is a clustering of risk factors including central obesity, insulin resistance, dyslipidaemia and hypertension. This syndrome is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease and is a common early abnormality in the development of type 2 diabetes. The pathogenesis of the syndrome has multiple origins.

Combined treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers: a review of the current evidence.

Several studies have shown that angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers are useful in the treatment of hypertension, cardiovascular disease, chronic heart failure, and some types of nephropathy. In this context, dual renin-angiotensin system blockade with both angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers may be more effective than treatment with each agent alone. Many clinical trials have demonstrated the beneficial effect of this combined treatment on proteinuria, hypertension, heart failure, and cardiovascular events.

Could statins be useful in the treatment of patients with migraine?

Migraine is a common and disabling neurological disorder. Studies have shown that patients with migraine (especially those with typical aura with migraine) have an unfavorable cardiovascular risk profile and an increased risk of early-onset (<45 years) ischemic stroke. Statins are effective hypolipidemic drugs that reduce cardiovascular-related morbidity and death in patients with or without established atherosclerotic vascular disease.

Effect of apolipoprotein E polymorphism on serum uric acid levels in healthy subjects.

Background: We have previously shown that apolipoprotein E (apo E-) polymorphism may affect serum creatinine concentration and predicted glomerular filtration rate in healthy individuals. On the other hand, there are limited data regarding the possible influence of apo E- polymorphism on serum uric acid (SUA) levels.

Methods: Two hundred ninety (148 male, 142 female) apparently healthy white individuals were studied.

A review of the lipid-related effects of fluvastatin.

Background: Statin therapy has been shown to significantly decrease vascular events and overall mortality in primary and secondary prevention trials. This review considers the pharmacology, nonlipid-lowering effects and clinical trial evidence of fluvastatin based on a survey of PubMed entries.

Findings: Recent clinical data show that treatment with fluvastatin is associated with a variety of benefits in different high-risk populations along with a good safety profile.

Alterations of paraoxonase and platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase activities in patients on peritoneal dialysis.

Objective: The more atherogenic lipid profile seen in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients cannot fully explain the increased incidence of atherosclerosis in this population. Oxidative modification of low-density lipoproteins (LDL) is considered to play a central role in the atherogenic process, whereas high-density lipoprotein (HDL) protects LDL from oxidation. On the other hand, it has been suggested that the LDL and HDL of PD patients are more resistant to oxidation than those of control subjects, while PD-HDL equally protects LDL from oxidation compared to control-HDL.

The influence of serum apolipoprotein E concentration and polymorphism on serum lipid parameters in hemodialysis patients.

Background: Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) polymorphism has been shown to influence serum lipid parameters and ApoE levels in both healthy subjects and hemodialysis (HD) patients. Conversely, ApoE concentration significantly affects serum lipid levels in the general population, independently of ApoE polymorphism, by modulating lipoprotein production, lipolytic conversion, and receptor-mediated clearance. Therefore, studying the effect of ApoE polymorphism on serum lipid levels without taking into account ApoE levels could lead to confounding results.

Influence of apolipoprotein E polymorphisms on serum creatinine levels and predicted glomerular filtration rate in healthy subjects.

Background: There are conflicting results regarding the effect of apolipoprotein (ApoE) polymorphisms on the progression of a variety of renal diseases. However, there are no data on the possible effect of the ApoE alleles on serum creatinine levels and predicted glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in healthy subjects.

Methods: 290 apparently healthy individuals were studied.

Possible cefotaxime-induced Stevens-Johnson syndrome.

Objective: To report a case of possible cefotaxime-induced Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS).

Case Summary: A 72-year-old woman with an upper urinary tract infection developed erosions and blisters on the skin and the mucous membranes, as well as fever and prostration, soon after the administration of cefotaxime. This presentation is consistent with the features of SJS.

SIADH and hyponatremia with theophylline.

Objective: To report a case of possible theophylline-induced hyponatremia due to the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone (SIADH).

Case Summary: An 88-year-old man developed severe symptomatic hyponatremia (serum sodium 112 mEq/L) associated with inappropriate natriuresis (urinary sodium 58 mEq/L) temporally related to the initiation of theophylline. The patient fulfilled the criteria for the diagnosis of SIADH after all other causes of hyponatremia were excluded.