[Prothrombin and acarboxyprothrombin activity in neonates after oral and intramuscular administration of vitamin K].

The effect of prophylaxis with oral or intramuscular vitamin K1 (Konakion) on the hypoprothrombinaemia and on the rate of detectable acarboxyprothrombin of full-term newborns was investigated. Factor II clotting activity, factor II activity by Echis carinatus venom, factor II protein concentration and acarboxyprothrombin were determined in four groups of breast-fed infants. In the untreated group and in the group where the babies received vitamin K1 orally at birth the factor, II clotting activity was decreased and the rate of acarboxyprothrombin positive cases was increased significantly (from 30% and 28% to 55% and 52% respectively) at the 3d and 5-7th days of age.

Computerized automatic non-invasive blood pressure monitoring system.

A non-invasive, fully automatic blood pressure monitoring system was developed to make the diagnosis of hypertension more accurate and to help individualizing antihypertensive therapy. The system consists of two subunits: the automatic microprocessor-controlled blood pressure monitor (Nippon Colin Co. BP 203) and a microcomputer system (Commodore 64).

Clinical studies with captopril treatment of hypertensive patients.

Haemodynamic and humoral effects of captopril were studied in patients with essential and renovascular hypertension. Captopril decreased significantly both systolic and diastolic blood pressure and moderately, it reduced also the heart rate. On the basis of the haemodynamic effects our patients could be divided into two groups: in patients where the total peripheral resistance (TPR) exceeded 2000 dyn x sec x cm-5 during rest, captopril exerted its hypotensive effect by decreasing TPR.

Pressure effects on sarcoplasmic reticulum.

The irreversible effects of pressure (1-2000 atm) upon the enzymatic activity and structure of the Ca2+-ATPase of sarcoplasmic reticulum were investigated. Sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles suspended in a medium of 0.1 M KCl, 10 mM imidazole, pH 7.

beta-Endorphin and essential hypertension: importance of the clonidine-naloxone interaction.

Analysis of the effect of naloxone (0.4 mg iv.) on clonidine hypotension in 80 patients with essential hypertension revealed that two groups could be separated.

Effects of clonidine and guanfacine in essential hypertension.

Daily doses of 0.3 mg clonidine and 3 mg guanfacine were equiactive in decreasing blood pressure and heart rate in 17 subjects with essential hypertension. Clonidine decreased cardiac output and guanfacine decreased total peripheral resistance, while clonidine had no effect on stroke volume but guanfacine increased it.

Beta-endorphin contributes to the antihypertensive effect of clonidine in a subset of patients with essential hypertension.

Naloxone [0.4 mg iv.] increased blood pressure and heart rate of 13 clonidine-treated [0.

Reversal by naloxone of the antihypertensive action of clonidine: involvement of the sympathetic nervous system.

The effects of clonidine, naloxone, and their combination on arterial blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), and hemodynamic and biochemical parameters were examined in 29 patients with essential hypertension. Treatment for 3 days with 0.3 mg/day clonidine reduced BP and HR, and these effects were quickly reversed by a single injection of 0.

Diurnal rhythm of beta endorphin in normotensive and hypertensive patients: the effect of clonidine.

Diurnal rhythm of plasma beta endorphin was established with the highest level in the morning and the lowest one at midnight in normotensive subjects and also in patients with essential hypertension. Clonidine (300 micrograms daily) significantly increased plasma beta endorphin concentrations only in the hypertensive patients. The significant linear correlation between the increase in plasma beta endorphin concentration and the decrease in blood pressure (both systolic and diastolic) in these patients may point to the role of this endogenous opioid in the antihypertensive action of clonidine.

Effect of long-term alcohol intake on the cardiovascular system of the rat.

A group of rats was fed on control liquid diet, while another group was fed on liquid diet containing alcohol up to 36% of the total calories. After 4, 8 and 12 weeks of treatment ECG, haematocrit, histological structure of the heart, blood pressure, cardiac output, distribution of the organ fraction of cardiac output (by Sapirstein's method and 85Sr labelled microsphere technique), nutritive blood flow and circulatory resistance of the organs were studied. A mild repolarization disturbance was shown by the ECG record of the alcohol exposed animals.

[Changes in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity in the human placenta during pregnancy].

Changes of G-6-PDH activity was studied in the human placental tissue during various stages of gestation. Enzyme activity diminished progressively at the end of pregnancy. Our observation indicated that the G-6-PDH activity of placental tissue is highest in the term pregnancy as activity in other tissues.