Pharmacokinetic interactions of moricizine and diltiazem in healthy volunteers.

Sixteen healthy male volunteers completed a nonrandomized, sequential, three-phase study. The three phases were 1) moricizine at 250 mg every 8 hours for 7 days with 12 days washout; 2) diltiazem at 60 mg every 8 hours for 7 days; and 3) concomitant administration of moricizine at 250 mg and diltiazem at 60 mg every 8 hours for 7 days. The plasma concentration-time profiles were obtained at the end of each phase for moricizine, diltiazem (with its metabolites desacetyl-diltiazem and N-desmethyl-diltiazem), and both when administered together.

Lower dose diuretic therapy in the treatment of patients with mild to moderate hypertension.

Indapamide (Lozol), an indoline antihypertensive drug with diuretic and vasodilating activities, was evaluated in 195 patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension (sitting DBP between 95 and 110 mmHg) in a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, parallel-group design trial. A four week single-blind placebo wash-out period was followed by an eight week double-blind period. Patients were randomised to indapamide 1.

Comparison of the efficacy and tolerability of an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (lisinopril) versus a calcium channel antagonist (diltiazem SR) in the treatment of moderate to severe hypertension.

One hundred and ten patients (mean age 50.6 years) with moderate to severe essential hypertension (DBP between 105 and 116 mmHg) were randomised to eight weeks of double-blind treatment with lisinopril (n = 56) or diltiazem SR (n = 54). Fourteen patients withdrew from therapy; six patients withdrew because of adverse events (lisinopril, n = 3; diltiazem SR, n = 1) and lack of BP control (lisinopril, n = 1; diltiazem SR, n = 1).

Dose ranging efficacy and safety of subcutaneous sumatriptan in the acute treatment of migraine. US Sumatriptan Research Group.

Sumatriptan, a specific serotonin1-like receptor agonist, was studied in the acute treatment of migraine. Two hundred forty-two adult migraineurs participated in a randomized, double-blind study in which one dose of 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, or 8 mg of subcutaneous sumatriptan succinate was evaluated in sequential ascending fashion. At each dose level, a placebo group was included.

Effect of lovastatin on serum lipids in patients with nonfamilial primary hypercholesterolemia.

The effect of lovastatin on serum lipids and its tolerability in patients with non-familial primary hypercholesterolemia (type II-A and type II-B) during a six-month period were evaluated in this open-label study. Thirty-eight patients were enrolled in the study; tolerability was assessed in all 38 patients. Thirty patients completed the study, and the effect of lovastatin on serum lipids in these patients was assessed.

Hypertension, changes in high-density lipoproteins and antihypertensive therapy.

The risk for development of coronary heart disease (CHD) is related to a number of factors. Among these, both hypertension and various lipid abnormalities have been shown to play an important role. A clear inverse relation between high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and CHD has been observed in numerous observational and short studies.

Celiprolol in systemic hypertension.

The safety and efficacy of orally administered celiprolol, a new beta 1-selective adrenergic blocking drug with peripheral beta 2-agonist properties, were assessed in 91 patients with mild to moderate systemic hypertension (supine diastolic blood pressure [BP] 95 to 114 mm Hg without medication) using a placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized, titration-to-effect study design. All patients received placebo for 4 weeks and were then randomized to receive placebo (n = 46) or once-daily celiprolol (n = 45), which was titrated every 2 weeks (200, 400, 600 mg/day) over a 6-week period to achieve a reduction in supine diastolic BP to less than or equal to 90 mm Hg. Plasma lipids and lipoproteins were also assessed at baseline, during placebo and after randomization to active therapy in a subgroup of patients.

Beta-blockers and hypertension.

While there is general agreement on the natural history, pathology, and pathophysiology of hypertension, there continues to be controversy over the selection of specific antihypertensive agents. All antihypertensive agents will, by definition, lower blood pressure, and factors beyond side effects and other difficulties associated with therapy form the basis of selecting specific agents. One of these factors is the effect of a given drug on core organ function.

Epoprostenol (PGI2, prostacyclin) during high-risk hemodialysis: preventing further bleeding complications.

The frequency of hemodialysis-associated hemorrhage was studied prospectively in two successive, parallel, heparin-controlled studies using epoprostenol (PGI2; average dose, 4.1 ng/kg.min) as the sole antithrombotic agent.

Treatment of hypertension in the elderly.

The objective of treating the elderly patient with hypertension should be to reduce blood pressure to safe levels (systolic blood pressure less than 180 mm Hg), while minimizing adverse effects and changes in life-style. If the clinician considers the unique physiologic, pharmacologic, and psychosocial characteristics of this population, he will be successful in attaining these goals.

Obesity and hypertension. Demonstration of a "floor effect".

Weight loss has a role in the treatment of essential hypertension. With the use of a medically supervised protein-sparing supplemented fast and a behavioral program, the changes in blood pressure as a result of weight loss in 135 obese hypertensive subjects were examined. Subjects' weight, blood pressure, and antihypertensive medication intake were recorded at baseline, at conclusion of supplemented fast, and at follow-up.

Diuretic use in the elderly: potential for diuretic-induced hypokalemia.

The more potent "loop" diuretics are being used with increasing frequency. The elderly constitute a growing portion of the population undergoing treatment with diuretics. The alterations in renal function and pharmacokinetics in the elderly (over 60 years of age) may result in the development of certain adverse effects.

Isolated hypoaldosteronism and abnormalities in renin, kallikrein, and prostaglandin.

To further define the pathophysiology of the syndrome of acquired isolated hypoaldosteronism, we determined plasma concentrations of active and inactive renin and urinary kallikrein and prostaglandin E2 excretion rates in 11 patients with the syndrome, 12 patients with similar serum creatinine levels, but without hyperkalemia, and in 12 normotensive patients with normal renal function and low plasma renin activities (PRA). Ten of 11 patients with the syndrome had low baseline PRA, and, unlike the control groups, six of 11 failed to double their PRA after furosemide stimulation. There were also consistent abnormalities in the percentage of inactive renin, no patient having a value less than and no control subjects having a value greater than 65%.

Safety and efficacy of guanabenz in hypertensive patients with moderate renal insufficiency.

Eight hypertensive patients with moderate renal insufficiency were treated with gradually increasing oral doses of guanabenz acetate to a maximum dose of 8 mg BID. Patients' medications were titrated over 8 weeks. Once blood pressure control was achieved (seated diastolic blood pressure, 90 mmHg, or decrease of 10 mmHg from baseline values), drug dosages were maintained for up to a 12-week total treatment phase.

Effect of zinc supplementation on hyperprolactinaemia in uraemic men.

Zinc and prolactin levels were measured in 32 male haemodialysis patients; 12 were receiving 50 mg zinc per day as zinc acetate and 20 were not. Zinc-treated patients had significantly higher plasma zinc levels (134 +/- 10 micrograms/dl v 88 +/- 2 micrograms/dl) and lower serum prolactin levels (11 +/- 4 ng/ml v 29 +/- 7 ng/ml) than untreated patients. Plasma zinc and serum prolactin were inversely related in zinc-treated and untreated patients (r = -0.

Cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (II)-induced acute renal failure in the rat. Correlation of structural and functional alterations.

Studies were undertaken to examine the relationship between renal morphologic and functional alterations during the development of cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (II) (CDDP)-induced acute renal failure (ARF). Control and CDDP-treated rats (10 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) were housed in metabolic cages for the purpose of renal function determinations. Renal morphology was studied by light and electron microscopy at 6, 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours following treatment.

Monotherapy with labetalol compared with propranolol. Differential effects by race.

The antihypertensive effect of oral labetalol and propranolol were evaluated in 65 black and 75 white patients with mild to moderate hypertension (standing diastolic blood pressure (StDBP) of 90-115 mmHg) in a double-blind multicenter clinical trial. Following a 4-week placebo phase, labetalol (n = 70) or propranolol (n = 70) was randomly assigned. During a 5-week titration phase, labetalol could be increased from 100 mg BID to 600 mg BID to achieve a StDBP of less than 90 mmHg and a decrement of greater than or equal to 10 mmHg.

The changing spectrum of heroin-associated nephropathy.

Thirty-five renal biopsies were performed on heroin abusers at our institution between January 1977 and June 1983 as part of the evaluation of unexplained heavy proteinuria. Twenty-eight patients (80%) had histopathologic diagnoses of either focal segmental glomerulosclerosis or renal amyloidosis. Patients having a diagnosis of renal amyloidosis were older (P = 0.