Central arteriovenous anastomosis for hypertension: it is not all about sympathomodulation.

Hypertension is described as resistant in patients who do not achieve target blood pressure (BP) control despite the prescription of at least three recognized antihypertensive medications and thus remain exposed to increased cardiovascular risk. It is clear that noncompliance with medication is in part responsible, but nonetheless there is a clear and unmet clinical need to find alternative means to improve BP control in such patients.In recent years, several nonpharmacological device-based technologies for hypertension have been trialed.

Contrasting actions of philanthotoxin-343 and philanthotoxin-(12) on human muscle nicotinic acetylcholine receptors.

Whole-cell recordings and outside-out patch recordings from TE671 cells were made to investigate antagonism of human muscle nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR) by the philanthotoxins, PhTX-343 and PhTX-(12). When coapplied with acetylcholine (ACh), PhTX-343 caused activation-dependent, noncompetitive inhibition (IC50 = 17 microM at -100 mV) of whole-cell currents that was strongly voltage-dependent. However, preapplication of PhTX-343 unveiled a voltage-independent antagonism that also required receptor activation, which is suggestive of desensitization enhancement.