Walking in Aretaon asperrimus.

This article describes basic parameters characterizing walking of the stick insect Aretaon asperrimus to allow a comparative approach with other insects studied. As in many other animals, geometrical parameters such as step amplitude and leg extreme positions do not vary with walking velocity. However, the relation between swing duration and stance duration is quite constant, in contrast to most insects studied.

[Reversible dementia].

A 65 year old woman, referred for differential diagnosis of dementia, presented with cognitive and mnestic deficits. Typical signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism led to the diagnosis of severe autoimmune thyroiditis. After six months of treatment with thyroid hormone, dementia, myopathy and ataxia had disappeared.

Comparison of bezafibrate and simvastatin in the treatment of dyslipidaemia in patients with NIDDM.

Fibrates and HMG CoA reductase inhibitors are commonly used in the treatment of diabetic dyslipidaemia. However, these two groups of drugs have not been compared in diabetic patients in a randomized controlled trial. Therefore, a multicentre study was performed in 73 subjects with non-insulin-dependent (Type 2) diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) and combined hyperlipidaemia (serum cholesterol 6.

Local ischemia causes carcinoma-like changes of the rectum.

Purpose: Bioptic specimens of typical cancerous changes in the rectum usually reveal signs of malignancy. Our goal was to describe the clinical feature, histologic findings, and long-term outcome of patients in whom typical findings of carcinoma of the rectum were discovered by endoscopy, but whose histologic data did not confirm the diagnosis of a malignant disease.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of eight patients seen in our hospital with a clinical diagnosis of colorectal cancer.

Incidental adrenal mass hampers the diagnosis of an extra-adrenal phaeochromocytoma.

This report describes a 65-year-old woman with a history of phaeochromocytoma and a right-sided adrenal mass. Biochemical findings and localisation procedures suggested an extra-adrenal phaeochromocytoma which was confirmed by surgery. We conclude that an extra-adrenal tumour should be considered in the evaluation of a phaeochromocytoma even if an adrenal tumour is present--the latter may represent an 'incidental' adrenal mass.

Primary aldosteronism: difference in clinical presentation and long-term follow-up between adenoma and bilateral hyperplasia of the adrenal glands.

Since 1974 primary aldosteronism has been diagnosed in 71 patients in our outpatient clinic. Thirty-four patients had a unilateral aldosterone-producing adenoma, whereas bilateral adrenal hyperplasia was diagnosed in 37 patients. Although at the time of diagnosis the mean potassium values were lower and mean aldosterone levels were higher in patients with an adenoma, as compared to those with bilateral hyperplasia, these laboratory data did not allow us to differentiate between the two leading causes of primary aldosteronism in the individual patient due to pronounced overlap of laboratory values between the two groups.

[Ischemic ulcer of stomach and duodenum: an unusual cause of a common disease].

Ischemia is a rare cause of gastric and duodenal ulcers. For the present study clinical and anatomo-pathologic data from cases published so far and from twelve own patients with ischemic ulcers have been investigated. Histopathology leads to the diagnosis of an ischemic cause with great accuracy.

[Acceptance of 24-hour blood pressure determination].

In interviews with 247 patients acceptance and behaviour during 24-hour-ambulatory blood-pressure recording were studied. In contrast to previous assumptions it was shown that the blood-pressure profile was not recorded during normal activities for a great part of patients. Very often the patients reduced their activity over the day.

Betablocking drugs in essential hypertension: transdermal bupranolol compared with oral metoprolol.

In the present study the antihypertensive efficacy and tolerability of transdermal bupranolol (30 mg once-daily) was compared with oral metoprolol (100 mg once-daily). Blood pressure measurements were performed in the office, at home, and with ambulatory 24-h blood pressure devices. Systemic and local side-effects, as well as compliance and acceptance, were evaluated every two weeks.

Comparison of casual, ambulatory and self-measured blood pressure in a study of nitrendipine vs bisoprolol.

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study the antihypertensive efficacy and tolerability of a single morning dose of either 10 mg bisoprolol (n = 26) or 20 mg nitrendipine (n = 27) were investigated. Blood pressure was measured by three techniques: (1) Casual blood pressure 24 h after the dose; (2) ambulatory 24-h whole-day monitoring; and (3) self-recorded blood pressure in the morning 24 h after the dose (6-8 a.m.

[Performing self-measurement of blood pressure: a patient survey].

In the present study the knowledge of 200 patients of our hypertension clinic about the technique of blood-pressure self-measurement was investigated using a questionnaire of 22 questions. 44-66% of the patients in different age groups measured their own blood-pressure, showing that self-measurement is commonly used, regardless of the age. 73% of the patients had bought a device on their own, but only 17% on the physician's advice.

Individualizing antihypertensive therapy with enalapril versus atenolol: the Zurich experience.

With the present increasing concern for compliance and quality or life during antihypertensive treatment, drug therapy tailored optimally for the individual patient is becoming increasingly important. The aim of the present double-blind crossover study was to analyse the individual as well as the group blood pressure response under enalapril and atenolol. Our results show that the group effects of these drugs did not differ significantly.

Self-measured blood pressures at home and during consulting hours: are there any differences?

Home blood pressures are lower than casual blood pressures and this difference is probably due to physician-patient interaction in a clinical stress situation. In order to prove this assumption we compared the casual blood pressures of 127 subjects, measured by a physician and by the subjects themselves in the presence of the physician, with self-measured values obtained at home over a 7-day observation period. The casual pressures were higher than the home pressures (delta = 7.

Casual versus ambulatory twenty-four-hour blood pressure measurement in a comparative study with bisoprolol or nitrendipine.

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomly allocated study, the 24-h efficacy of a single morning dose of 10 mg of the beta-blocker bisoprolol (n = 17) versus 20 mg of the calcium channel antagonist nitrendipine (n = 19) was assessed using two different methods of blood pressure determination: (1) casual blood pressure determinations in the morning before the dose; and (2) ambulatory day-time (6 a.m. to 6 p.

[The therapeutic significance of home blood pressure measurement].

Optimization of antihypertensive therapy during the initial dose titration as well as the long term follow-up of chronic therapy constitute the main therapeutic indications of blood pressure measurement at home. Furthermore home blood pressure measurements may be of value in patients with unsatisfactory blood pressure response in whom poor compliance is suspected. Finally patients may adjust their antihypertensive therapy according to the level of self-recorded blood pressure measurements.

[Diagnostic and prognostic aspects of home blood pressure measurement].

Up to now the diagnosis of hypertension has been based on a few casual blood pressure measurements in the physician's office according to WHO guidelines. Blood pressure measurements at home in the recent years have gained increasing popularity as a supplementary diagnostic tool. The establishment of an everyday blood pressure profile and exclusion of "white coat" hypertension are the main diagnostic indications.

[Why are blood pressure values higher in the doctor's office than at home?].

Blood pressure values measured by the patients at home are lower than those measured during medical consultation. To test whether the person measuring the blood pressure is responsible for this difference, the blood pressure of 127 patients was measured first by the doctor and then by the patients themselves during the consultation. There was a good agreement and no significant difference between the two measurements.

[Self measurement of blood pressure: patient education].

Many patients measure their blood pressure without any instruction due to the availability of modern measuring devices. Although the technique can be mastered by most of the patients, some sources of error have to be eliminated. The aim of such an instruction is to explain these sources of error to the patients and to give them opportunity to practise the self measurement under medical supervision.

[ Self measurement of blood pressure. Equipment and comparison of equipment].

Precision is the primordial criterion for the evaluation of a blood pressure measuring device. While traditionally devices based on the auscultation technique have dominated semiautomatic devices have recently gained acceptance. The latter permit to reduce procedure-related errors.

[Using drugs: experiences with a slide show program and patient questionnaires].

200 patients were surveyed by questionnaire while attending the medical outpatient service at the university hospital of Zürich. Questions related to a slide show on the usage of prescribed drugs presented at the same time in the attending room but also to general personal habits and attitudes regarding pharmacotherapy. Appreciation of the slide show was remarkable.

[Acute facial swelling, pruritus].

This patient developed facial edema with impressive swelling of the inferior lip within a few hours. He had experienced several episodes with transient, itching swelling at diverse sites over the past six months. This history and the rapid disappearance of symptoms after intravenous corticoids were suggestive of Quincke's edema.

Blood pressure self-measurement in normotensive and hypertensive patients.

In this study casual blood pressure was compared with home blood pressure measurement in 41 normotensive, 39 hypertensive and 21 borderline hypertensive subjects. The average casual readings for the whole group were 8.6 mmHg higher for systolic and 4.

[Diagnostic value of atrial natriuretic peptide in hypertension and heart insufficiency].

Serum ANP levels were measured by radioreceptor assay in 40 patients with various forms of secondary hypertension and 6 patients with heart failure. In addition, serum ANP was determined in 4 patients with renal artery stenosis before and after dilatation, as well as in 5 anephric patients before and after haemodialysis. Our results showed elevated serum ANP level in most patients with various forms of secondary hypertension and chronic heart failure.