PURPOSE:: The purpose of this study was to explore the expression of apoptotic factors in stage III pressure ulcers and explain their effects on wound healing. SUBJECTS AND SETTING:: The sample comprised 8 patients with stage III pressure ulcers, along with 4 volunteers with normal skin who were undergoing elective ...

We evaluated the influence of increased intravascular volume on the heart anatomy in salt-sensitive types of hypertension, represented by primary aldosteronism (PA) and low-renin essential hypertension (LREH). Echocardiography was performed in 128 males with moderate to severe or resistant hypertension: 44 patients had PA, 40 patients had LREH and 44 ...

BACKGROUND: In face of variable definitions and sampling criteria, the real prevalence of resistant hypertension in a clinical setting is unknown. OBJECTIVE: We investigated the prevalence of true resistant hypertension in an outpatient hypertension clinic. METHODS: True resistant hypertension was diagnosed when white coat phenomenon, lack of compliance and secondary ...

Scand J Caring Sci; 2012 Accuracy, completeness and comprehensiveness of information on pressure ulcers recorded in the patient record Aim:  To describe the accuracy, completeness and comprehensiveness of information on pressure ulcers documented in patient records. Design and setting:  A cross-sectional descriptive study performed in 29 wards at a university ...

Essential hypertension is characterized by a left ventricular dysfunction. However, the majority of the studies performed so far investigated patients under drug treatment and/or with concomitant diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome or coronary heart disease, which per se may affect diastolic function independently on the blood pressure elevation. ...

We investigated surgical outcomes of haematoma evacuation in patients with hypertensive putaminal haemorrhage, with emphasis on the development of postoperative refractory intracranial hypertension. Twenty-two consecutive patients with hypertensive putaminal haemorrhage underwent microsurgical clot removal without decompressive craniectomy. Medical histories, radiographic findings, and surgical notes were reviewed. Twenty patients survived to ...

BACKGROUND:: The stress responses from tracheal intubation are potentially dangerous in patients with higher cardiovascular risk, such as obese patients. The primary outcome objective of this study was to test whether, in comparison with the endotracheal tube (ETT), the Proseal™ Laryngeal Mask Airway (PLMA™) (Laryngeal Mask Airway Company, Jersey, United ...

BACKGROUND: Various breathing abnormalities (Neurology 2009; 73: 1218) have been proposed as indicators for the introduction of non-invasive positive-pressure ventilation (NIV) in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We were interested in the usefulness of symptoms of respiratory insufficiency and abnormal results of daytime arterial gas analyses (AGA) as predictors ...

BACKGROUND: Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is a condition of raised intracranial pressure (ICP) in the absence of space-occupying lesions or other known etiology. It primarily affects young obese females, and potentially causes permanent visual loss due to papilledema and secondary optic atrophy. The aim of this study was to evaluate ...

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: The epidemic surge in hypertension in sub-Saharan Africa is not matched by clinical trials of antihypertensive agents in Black patients recruited in this area of the world. We mounted the Newer versus Older Antihypertensive agents in African Hypertensive patients (NOAAH) trial to compare, in native African patients, a ...

J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). 2012;00:00-00 ©2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. The authors' aim was to investigate the prognostic value of first-visit systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP/DBP) in hypertensive patients with stable coronary artery disease (sCAD) in conditions of contemporary daily clinical practice. From February 1, 2000, to January 31, 2004, ...

AIMS: To evaluate the haemodynamic effect of acute procedural success (APS) after MitraClip therapy in patients with haemodynamic decompensation. METHODS AND RESULTS: Of 107 patients, 79 achieved APS after MitraClip implantation. The increase in cardiac index (CI) was primarily detected in patients with a low baseline CI (2.0 ± 0.5 ...

PURPOSE: We determined whether patients with bladder pain syndrome who have typical interstitial cystitis endoscopic findings, including glomerulations and/or Hunner ulcer, have a distinct autonomic response during bladder hydrodistention. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Included in the study were 50 consecutive patients (40 females and 10 males) who met International Society for ...

Increased expression and activity of metalloproteinases have been implicated in the pathophysiology of vascular remodeling and in the growth of atherosclerotic lesions. We aimed at determining the levels of MMP-2, MMP-9, their specific inhibitors TIMP-2 and TIMP-1, and the inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α, which are related to the stimulation ...

Mean platelet volume (MPV) has been recognized as an independent risk factor of hypertension. Hypertensive end-organ damage worsens the prognosis in hypertensive patients. We aimed to investigate the relationship between MPV levels and subclinical end-organ damage in hypertensive patients. One hundred and sixteen hypertensive patients (81 women, 35 men, with ...

OBJECTIVE:: To assess the antihypertensive efficacy of olmesartan medoxomil and ramipril on 24-h ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) in elderly hypertensive patients by pooled data analysis of two studies with identical designs (one Italian, one European). METHODS:: After a 2-week placebo wash-out 1453 elderly hypertensive patients (65-89 years; sitting office DBP ...

J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). 2012; 14:396-400. ©2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Shorter-interval (6-hour) ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) has been shown to correlate well with 24-hour ABPM in adults, but this has not been studied in children. The authors selected 131 patients aged 9 to 18 who underwent 24-ABPM from 2000-2008. ...

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a leading disease that requires renal replacement therapy. The progression of renal dysfunction in DN is faster than the other renal diseases. While antihypertensive therapy reduces albuminuria, a good indicator for the progression, hypertension in DN is treatment resistant. Among patients with DN who took angiotensin ...

To assess if combining central venous pressure (CVP) and/or pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) information with arterial pulse pressure variation can increase the ability to predict fluid responsiveness in patients under general anesthesia. This study is a retrospective analysis of patients scheduled for coronary artery bypass surgery and monitored with ...

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to evaluate whether body mass index (BMI) is independently correlated with plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) in treated essential hypertensive patients, and whether the relationship between BMI and high blood pressure (BP) can be partially mediated by PAC despite renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system blockade.MethodsThis study used a ...

J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). 2012;00:000-000. ©2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Aliskiren is a direct renin inhibitor that exerts its effect at the rate-limiting step of the renin-angiotensin system. This study was performed to examine the beneficial effects of aliskiren-based antihypertensive therapy on the ambulatory blood pressure (BP) profile, central hemodybamics, and ...

Circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) play a key role in the maintenance of endothelial homeostasis and promote vascular repair. A reduced number of EPCs and the functional activity have been associated with several cardiovascular risk factors. However, the relationship between the number of EPCs and circadian rhythm of the blood ...

Pressure ulcer in an otherwise sick patient is a matter of concern for the care givers as well as the medical personnel. A lot has been done to understand the disease process. So much so that USA and European countries have established advisory panels in their respective continents. Since the ...

The nocturnal nondipping and elevated morning blood pressure (BP) in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) have not yet been well investigated in Chinese patients. This study aimed to describe the BP profile, and to elucidate the relationships between daytime BP and nighttime BP, and between evening BP and ...

BACKGROUND: Hallux valgus (HV) is one of the most common deformities in podiatric and orthopedic practice. Plantar pressure technology has been widely used in studying the pressure distribution in HV patients for better assessment to plan interventions. However, previous studies produced an array of controversial findings and most of them ...

Hair extensions - an intraoperative risk for occipital pressure ulceration Use of hair extensions has surged in popularity in the last decade. Hair extensions are usually used for cosmetic reasons, although they also offer a noninvasive and easily available alternative for alopecia patients. Here, we describe an unusual risk of ...

To investigate the morning blood pressure surge (MBPS) in Chinese patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension treated with long-term administration of olmesartan, an angiotensin II receptor antagonist according to ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM). In a multi-center, prospective study, we investigated the long-term efficacy of olmesartan by ABPM in ...

Aims  To assess the value of using in-shoe plantar pressure analysis to improve and preserve the offloading properties of custom-made footwear in patients with diabetes. Methods  Dynamic in-shoe plantar pressures were measured in new custom-made footwear of 117 patients with diabetes, neuropathy and a healed plantar foot ulcer. In 85 ...

To assess whether Most Care is able to detect the cardiovascular alterations in response to physiological stress (posture). Non invasive hemodynamic was assessed in 26 cirrhotic patients compared to healthy subjects, both in the supine and standing positions. In baseline conditions, when compared to healthy subjects, cirrhotic patients showed significantly ...

Background: Previous metaanalyses of potassium supplementation in patients with hypertension observed little or no benefit, but failed to account the amount of salt intake. Objective: To assess the effect on blood pressure of potassium treatment in patients with high salt intake. Methods: We meta-analyzed studies of patient populations with both ...

BACKGROUND: Bedside percutaneous tracheostomy (PT) is very commonly used for patients who require prolonged mechanical ventilation. The effect of tracheostomy on intracranial pressure (ICP) is currently a subject of controversy. The aim of our study is to clarify the relation between PT and its effect on ICP and cerebral perfusion ...

Renalase, secreted by the kidney, degrades catecholamines and may play a role in the regulation of sympathetic tone and blood pressure. The aim of this study was to assess serum renalase levels in hemodialysis patients and their relationship to blood pressure control, type of antihypertensive therapy and the presence of ...

Severe sepsis is one of the most common causes of acute lung injury (ALI) and is associated with high mortality. The aim of the study was to see if a protective strategy based approach with a plateau pressure < 30 cm H2O was associated with lower mortality in septic patients ...

J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). 2012; 14:330-335. ©2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. The activation of innate immune receptors, such as Toll-like receptors (TLRs), participates in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. The authors evaluated TLR2 and TLR4 gene expression in the peripheral monocytes of nondiabetic hypertensive patients compared with normotensive individuals and investigated ...

Aim: Treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes with GLP-1 receptor agonist exenatide has demonstrated improvements in glycemic control coupled with weight loss and lowered blood pressure. We examined the synergy between improved glycemia and weight loss on blood pressure reduction in patients treated with either exenatide twice daily (BID) ...

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association of heart rate variability (HRV) examined in supine and standing position with ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) in patients with anorexia nervosa (AN). Methods: HRV in supine and standing position and ABPM were examined in 30 AN patients and 30 control subjects. The correlations between ...

Cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy (CAN) is associated with increased mortality in diabetes. Since CAN often develops in parallel with diabetic nephropathy as a confounder, we aimed to investigate the isolated impact of CAN on cardiovascular disease in normoalbuminuric patients. Fifty-six normoalbuminuric, type 1 diabetic patients were divided into 26 with (+) ...

Abstract Background: Automatic CPAP devices have demonstrated good results in obtaining optimal fixed CPAP pressure to eliminate respiratory events in patients with sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (SAHS). However, automatic CPAP has not been fully studied in patients with COPD plus SAHS. Objectives: To analyse the performance of an automatic CPAP in ...

ABSTRACT: We describe 2 patients with transverse sinus dural arteriovenous fistulas (DAVFs) who presented with headache and papilledema due to intracranial hypertension. It has been proposed, but never proven, that venous hypertension causes the intracranial hypertension in DAVF. The data from our patients support this hypothesis. An additional factor leading ...

Elevated blood pressure is common in patients with acute subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). American Heart Association guidelines do not specify a blood pressure target, but limited data suggest that systolic blood pressure (SBP) ≥160 mmHg is associated with increased risk of rebleeding and neurologic decline. In a population-based study, we determined ...

OBJECTIVE: Advanced age, dilated right atrium, increased preoperative pulmonary artery pressure, increased right atrial pressure, technique of operation, and poor ventricular function were reported to be risk factors for postoperative arrhythmia. Aim of this study is to determine the risk factor for postoperative arrhythmia after Fontan operation with regard to ...

OBJECTIVE:: To determine adherence to Brain Trauma Foundation guidelines for intracranial pressure monitoring after severe traumatic brain injury, to investigate if characteristics of patients treated according to guidelines (ICP+) differ from those who were not (ICP-), and whether guideline compliance is related to 6-month outcome. DESIGN:: Observational multicenter study. PATIENTS:: ...

Aim: A prothrombotic state is associated with organ damage in hypertensive patients. Carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) is an early marker of vascular damage that anticipates the development of atherosclerotic plaques. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationships between subclinical carotid damage and markers of the prothrombotic ...

Aim: A prothrombotic state is associated with organ damage in hypertensive patients. Carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) is an early marker of vascular damage that anticipates the development of atherosclerotic plaques. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationships between subclinical carotid damage and markers of the prothrombotic ...

INTRODUCTION: Most patients with hypertension require combination therapy to achieve optimal reduction of blood pressure (BP). The angiotensin II receptor blocker, telmisartan, provides 24-hour BP-lowering efficacy and is proven to prevent cardiovascular morbidity in high-risk patients. METHODS: Pooled data from seven randomized controlled trials (3,654 patients with stage 1-2 hypertension) ...

Angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB)/hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) combination therapy has been shown to produce a prompt reduction in clinic blood pressure (BP) without serious adverse effects; however, long-term antihypertensive efficacy on home BP has not been fully investigated. In this open-label multicenter observational study, a total of 151 hypertensive patients uncontrolled with ...

A nondipping BP pattern has been shown to be predictive of end-organ damage, cardiovascular events, and mortality. The mechanisms of blunted nocturnal BP fall are multifactorial. We assessed whether total corrected serum calcium and ionic calcium (iCa) are associated with a blunted nocturnal BP fall in both treated and untreated ...

Hypertension has been suggested to exert pro-inflammatory actions through increased expression of several mediators, including chemokines. Chemokines are involved in inflammatory and autoimmune disorders, and in the formation of atherosclerotic lesions through promotion of inflammatory cell migration. The aim of this study is to evaluate the influence of high blood ...

Vascular insufficiency is considered to play an important role in the pathogenesis of normal-tension glaucoma (NTG). Autoregulation of blood flow in the eye has been shown to be impaired in NTG, resulting in the inability to compensate for changes in intraocular pressure or blood pressure in order to maintain adequate ...

Involvement of the cardiovascular autonomic nervous system in various diseases is often associated with increased morbidity and mortality. The objective of this study was to examine the clinical features associated with cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy (CAN) in adult Nigerians with sickle cell anaemia. A cross-sectional study was carried out on 62 ...