The clinical application of metabolic therapy for cardiovascular disease.

Metabolic therapy involves the administration of a substance normally found in the body to enhance a metabolic reaction within the cell. This may be achieved in two ways. Firstly, for some systems a substance can be given to achieve greater than normal levels in the body so as to drive an enzymic reaction in a preferred direction.

The principles of metabolic therapy for heart disease.

Metabolic therapy involves the administration of a substance normally found in the body to enhance a metabolic reaction within the cell. This may be achieved in two ways. First, for some systems, a substance can be given to achieve greater than normal levels in the body so as to drive an enzymic reaction in a preferred direction.

Low-renin hypertension with relative aldosterone excess is associated with impaired NO-mediated vasodilation.

Recent studies suggest that hypertension associated with low renin status and hyperaldosteronism is associated with increased risk for end-organ damage and cardiovascular events compared with other forms of hypertension. Additionally, experimental studies have demonstrated impaired nitric oxide-mediated bioactivity in these states. To investigate the relation between renin/aldosterone status and resistance vessel function, we examined plasma renin activity, serum aldosterone level, and forearm blood flow responses to the endothelium-dependent vasodilator methacholine and the endothelium-independent vasodilators sodium nitroprusside and verapamil using venous occlusion plethysmography in 130 volunteers (43 hypertensive, 87 normotensive).

Response of the senescent heart to stress: clinical therapeutic strategies and quest for mitochondrial predictors of biological age.

The aging heart has an impaired response to many kinds of stress. In clinical practice, there is a need for senescence-specific therapies to protect against stress and for biochemical markers of senescence to identify those patients most in need of therapy. In isolated rat hearts, in human tissues, and in a clinical trial, we have shown previously that coenzyme Q(10) has the ability to protect the heart against stress especially in senescence.

Effects of phenolics on vascular endothelial function.

Purpose Of Review: There continues to be considerable interest in the concept that antioxidant therapy may reduce cardiovascular risk. Phenols have antioxidant properties and may be important micronutrients. Epidemiological studies have demonstrated a strong link between phenolic intake and reduced cardiovascular risk, but the mechanism of benefit has not been determined.