Ovariectomy Reduces Vasocontractile Responses of Rat Middle Cerebral Arteries After Focal Cerebral Ischemia.

Effects of sex hormones on stroke outcome are not fully understood. A deleterious consequence of cerebral ischemia is upregulation of vasoconstrictor receptors in cerebral arteries that exacerbate stroke injury. Here, we tested the hypothesis that female sex hormones alter vasocontractile responses after experimental stroke in vivo or after organ culture in vitro, a model of vasocontractile receptor upregulation.

Self-care Management Intervention in Heart Failure (SMART-HF): A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Self-care behavior is important in avoiding hospitalization for patients with heart failure (HF) and refers to those activities performed with the intention of improving or restoring health and well-being, as well as treating or preventing disease. The purpose was to study the effects of a home-based mobile device on self-care behavior and hospitalizations in a representative HF-population.

Methods And Results: SMART-HF is a randomized controlled multicenter clinical trial, where patients were randomized 1:1 to receive standard care (control group [CG]) or intervention with a home-based tool designed to enhance self-care behavior (intervention group [IG]) and followed for 240 days.

Secondhand cigarette smoke induces increased expression of contractile endothelin receptors in rat coronary arteries via a MEK1/2 sensitive mechanism.

Cigarette smoke, a strong risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, upregulates contractile endothelin (ET) receptors in coronary arteries. The present study examined the effects of second hand cigarette smoke exposure on the contractile endothelin receptors and the role of the MEK1/2 pathway in rat coronary arteries. : Rats were exposed to secondhand smoke (SHS) for 8 weeks followed by intraperitoneal injection of a MEK1/2 inhibitor, U0126 daily for another 4 weeks.

Improved outcome with standardized plan for clinical management of acute decompensated chronic heart failure.

Background: Our overall goal is to improve clinical care for inpatients with chronic heart failure (CHF). A retrospective assessment of CHF patients admitted to our hospital over the past decade (2005 . 2014) indicated a need for better strategies to evaluate clinical treatment, implement best practices and achieve optimal patient outcome.

Characterization of Relaxant Responses to Natriuretic Peptides in the Human Microcirculation In Vitro and In Vivo.

Objective: We characterized the vasodilatory effects of ANP, BNP, and CNP in human subcutaneous arterioles in vitro and the cutaneous microcirculation in vivo.

Methods: The in vitro experiments were performed using wire myography and the responses were characterized by the use of inhibitors for nitric oxide (L-NAME), prostaglandin synthesis (indomethacin), or the endothelium-derived hyperpolarization factor. In vivo, the vasorelaxant effect of iontophoretically administrated BNP or CNP was measured with a noninvasive laser Doppler technique.

Brain natriuretic peptide is a potent vasodilator in aged human microcirculation and shows a blunted response in heart failure patients.

Background: Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) is normally present in low levels in the circulation, but it is elevated in parallel with the degree of congestion in heart failure subjects (CHF). BNP has natriuretic effects and is a potent vasodilator. It is suggested that BNP could be a therapeutic alternative in CHF.

Reduced peripheral vascular reactivity in refractory angina pectoris: Effect of enhanced external counterpulsation.

Aims: To examine if the skin microvascular bed is altered and can be modified by enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP) in patients with chronic refractory angina.

Methods: Twenty patients diagnosed with refractory angina were divided into EECP (n = 10) or no EECP (n = 10) groups. The data were compared to matched healthy subjects (n = 20).

Deteriorated function of cutaneous microcirculation in chronic congestive heart failure.

Background: Chronic congestive heart failure is a complex condition that leads to dysfunction in the peripheral microcirculation. We have previously shown that vascular reactivity is reduced with increasing age. In this study, we examined a group of very old patients with severe chronic heart failure to test the hypothesis that vascular function is further compromised by a combination of heart failure and aging.

Effect of medication on microvascular vasodilatation in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

The aim of this study was to investigate the microvascular responses in the skin, to local heat, iontophoretically administered acetylcholine and to sodium nitroprusside in relation to cardiovascular damage in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and matched controls. We also wanted to examine if the ongoing medication in SLE patients influenced this vascular response. We investigated 30 women with SLE and compared them with 20 age and sex-matched controls.

Increased expression of endothelin ET(B) and angiotensin AT(1) receptors in peripheral resistance arteries of patients with suspected acute coronary syndrome.

Patients who experience chest pain, in which ischemic heart disease has been ruled out, still have an increased risk of future ischemic cardiac events and premature death, possibly due to subclinical endothelial dysfunction. A feature of endothelial dysfunction is an increased expression of arterial vasoconstrictor endothelin (ET) and angiotensin (AT) receptors. Our aim was to investigate if the arterial expressions of these receptors are changed in patients with suspected but ruled out acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

Increased expression of vascular endothelin type B and angiotensin type 1 receptors in patients with ischemic heart disease.

Background: Endothelin-1 and angiotensin II are strong vasoconstrictors. Patients with ischemic heart disease have elevated plasma levels of endothelin-1 and angiotensin II and show increased vascular tone. The aim of the present study was to examine the endothelin and angiotensin II receptor expression in subcutaneous arteries from patients with different degrees of ischemic heart disease.

Cigarette smoking leads to reduced relaxant responses of the cutaneous microcirculation.

Background: Smoking is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The present study was undertaken to examine if cigarette smoking translates into reduced relaxant responses of the peripheral microcirculation.

Methods: The cutaneous forearm blood flow was measured by laser Doppler flowmetry.

High NT-proBNP is a strong predictor of outcome in elderly heart failure patients.

All patients older than 65 years (184 men; mean age, 78+/-0.8 years/181 women; mean age, 82+/-0.6 years) seeking medical attention at the Lund University Hospital Emergency Clinic during a 2-year period who had an N-terminal prohormone brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) value >2000 pg/mL were followed up for survival.

Reduced responsiveness of cutaneous microcirculation in essential hypertension--a pilot study.

Objective: Our hypothesis states that the reactivity of the cutaneous microcirculation is reduced in patients with hypertension compared with healthy subjects. The objective was to verify the hypothesis by measuring microvascular function in hypertensive patients.

Design: The study was a controlled trial with two arms: 15 hypertensives and 15 normotensives were enrolled, aged 30-60 years, and in hypertensives, a diastolic blood pressure of > 90 mmHg.

Reduction of homocysteine in elderly with heart failure improved vascular function and blood pressure control but did not affect inflammatory activity.

We have previously shown that hyperhomocysteinaemia is common in elderly heart failure patients, and is associated with endothelial dysfunction, impaired vasodilatory capacity and a low-grade inflammation. In the present study we examined if supplementation with B6, B12 and folate could normalize the hyperhomocysteinaemia and if so, in turn, would improve the associated parameters. This was an open study without placebo control on heart failure patients with plasma homocysteine > 15 microM.

Vasodilator effect of endothelin in cutaneous microcirculation of heart failure patients.

The heart failure syndrome is associated with a reduced vasodilatory capacity in cutaneous microvessels. The aim of this study was to investigate the hypothesis that an altered activity of the endothelin system contributes to this reduction. The skin blood flow was recorded by laser Doppler flowmetry in patients with congestive heart failure and in age- and gender-matched controls without clinical signs of heart failure.