Circulating microRNAs in Cardiovascular Diseases.

Cardiovascular Diseases (CD) are currently one of the most common causes of death. Because heart related deaths occur on such an enormous scale this phenomenon is referred to as an epidemic. Chronic and acute injury of the heart could be an effect of cardiac remodeling, which is a result of molecular, cellular and interstitial changes, influenced by hemodynamic load or neurohormonal activation (Cohn et al.

Effects of L-arginine and NG-nitro L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) on ischemia/reperfusion injury of skeletal muscle, small and large intestines.

This study analyzed the effects of L-arginine and non-specific nitric oxide (NO) synthase blocker (L-NAME) on structural and metabolic changes in experimental ischemia/reperfusion injury in the rat. Histopathological evaluation of rat tissues after reperfusion was also performed. The animals were divided into four groups: [1] nonischemic control, [2] ischemia 4 hrs/repefusion 30, 60, 120 min, [3] ischemia/reperfusion after L-arginine administration, [4] ischemia/reperfusion, after L-arginine, and L-NAME.

Evaluation of the antihypertensive effect of L-arginine supplementation in patients with mild hypertension assessed with ambulatory blood pressure monitoring.

Background: Arterial hypertension is one of the most important cardiovascular risk factors, featuring the unsatisfactory efficacy of current therapies. The cardiovascular disease paradigm which assumes a crucial role of the endothelial phenotype in shaping the state of the circulatory system has become increasingly dominant and endothelial dysfunction should be treated as avidly as the diseases of other organs. The most valued current anti-hypertensive therapies exert a positive influence on the endothelium due to their pleiotropic effects, but the search for new effective strategies aimed at improving endothelial function is underway.

Neopterin as a prognostic marker in patients with chronic heart failure.

Background: The study aimed at evaluating neopterin concentration in relation to heart failure etiology and determining basal neopterin concentration in relation to the clinical state of patients after 12 months of standard treatment.

Material/methods: The examined group was composed of 47 patients with NYHA class II and III heart failure and 20 healthy volunteers. Neopterin concentration in blood serum was determined with a radioimmunological assay.

Global DNA methylation changes in blood of patients with essential hypertension.

Background: Hypertension is a common disease of the cardiovascular system and one of the main causes of mortality in the world. Its etiopathogenesis and molecular mechanisms are unknown. Epigenetic changes may play a role in its development.

Influence of selected angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors on alloxan-induced diabetic cataract in rabbits.

Background: Hyperglycemia enhances cataractogenesis. Elevated glucose level is commonly accompanied by arterial hypertension, for which angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors (ACEIs) are a widely used intervention. ACE inhibitors exert some endothelial pleiotropic actions and can beneficially modulate glucose control and some other metabolic pathways.

[The evaluation of level of epigenetic indicator--5-methylcytosine in smoking and non-smoking patients with mild essential hypertension].

5-methylcytosine (m5C, 5mC) is a nucleotide occurring naturally in genomic DNA and play an important role in regulation of genes expression. Methylation of cytosine in DNA is an epigenetic modification and different intrinsic and extrinsic factors can influence on its level. For example, it is subject to modification and/or degradation by the free radicals which are commonly present in environment of human, among others the cigarette smoke.

[The pharmacokinetic of drugs in elderly patients].

The use of pharmacotherapy in the elderly requires caution because of increasing with age drug sensitivity and risk of dangerous adverse effects. The process of ageing induce alteration in pharmacokinetics of drugs. Modifications affect practically each pharmacokinetic phase.