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1.
Insulin autoimmune syndrome in an occidental woman: a case report and literature review.
Reis, MZR, Fernandes, VO, Fontenele, EGP, Sales, APAM, Montenegro Junior, RM, Quidute, ARP
Archives of endocrinology and metabolism. 2018;(5):566-570
Abstract
Insulin autoimmune syndrome (IAS, Hirata's disease) is a rare hypoglycemic disorder characterized by spontaneous hypoglycemia associated with extremely high circulating insulin levels and positive anti-insulin antibody results. Thus far, most cases have been reported in Asian countries, notably Japan, with few cases reported in western countries. As a possible cause, it is associated with the use of drugs containing sulfhydryl radicals, such as captopril. This report refers to a 63-year-old female Brazilian patient with a history of postprandial hypoglycemia. After extensive investigation and exclusion of other causes, her hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia was considered to have likely been induced by captopril. Most cases of IAS are self-limiting. However, dietary management, corticosteroids, plasmapheresis, and rituximab have already been used to treat patients with IAS. In our case, after discontinuation of captopril, an initial decrease in insulin autoantibody levels was observed followed by improvement in episodes of hypoglycemia. Although it is a rare disease, IAS should be considered in the differential diagnosis of endogenous hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia. Patients with suspected IAS must be screened for autoimmunity-related drugs for insulin. Initial clinical suspicion of IAS can avoid unnecessary costs associated with imaging examinations and/or invasive surgical procedures.
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2.
Treatment of Hypertension in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease. A Case-Based Summary of the 2015 AHA/ACC/ASH Scientific Statement.
Rosendorff, C, ,
The American journal of medicine. 2016;(4):372-8
Abstract
The 2015 American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology/American Society of Hypertension Scientific Statement "Treatment of Hypertension in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease" is summarized in the context of a clinical case. The Statement deals with target blood pressures, and the optimal agents for the treatment of hypertension in patients with stable angina, in acute coronary syndromes, and in patients with ischemic heart failure. In all cases, the recommended blood pressure target is <140/90 mm Hg, but <130/80 mm Hg may be appropriate, especially in those with a history of a previous myocardial infarction or stroke, or at high risk for developing either. These numbers may need to be revised after the publication of the SPRINT data. Appropriate management should include beta-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers, and in the case of heart failure, aldosterone antagonists. Thiazide or thiazide-like (chlorthalidone) diuretics and calcium channel blockers can be used for the management of hypertension, but the evidence for improved outcomes compared with other agents in hypertension with coronary artery disease is meager. Loop diuretics should be reserved for patients with New York Heart Association Class III and IV heart failure or with a glomerular filtration rate of <30 mL/min.
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3.
Nephrology Update: Chronic Kidney Disease.
Saha, S, Rahman, M
FP essentials. 2016;:18-22
Abstract
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects more than 1 in 10 individuals in the United States. The care of these patients must be managed by family physicians and nephrology subspecialists. The kidneys often are affected by systemic processes such as diabetes and hypertension, and optimal management of these conditions is critical to slow decline in renal function in CKD patients. These patients are at high risk of cardiovascular disease, and statin therapy is recommended for adults with CKD who are at least age 50 years and not receiving dialysis. Patients with CKD and anemia can be treated with iron therapy and often with an erythropoietin-stimulating agent. Electrolyte abnormalities are managed with dietary changes and drugs. Sodium restriction and modification of dietary protein intake also may be needed. Consultation with a renal dietitian may be helpful. Because many drugs are metabolized by the kidneys, physicians should ensure that drug dosages are appropriate for the level of renal function. Early consultation with or referral to a nephrology subspecialist for patients with reduced renal function, resistant hypertension or electrolyte levels, and other conditions have been associated with improved outcomes in CKD patients.
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4.
Adding Water to the Mill: Olmesartan-Induced Collagenous Sprue-A Case Report and Brief Literature Review.
Desruisseaux, C, Bensoussan, M, Désilets, E, Tran, HK, Arcand, R, Poirier, G, Wisniewski, A, Manière, T
Canadian journal of gastroenterology & hepatology. 2016;:4837270
Abstract
Collagenous sprue (CS) is a distinct clinicopathological disorder histologically defined by a thickened subepithelial band (Freeman, 2011). It is a rare condition which has been recently observed in a significant proportion of sprue-like enteropathy associated with olmesartan, a novel entity described by Rubio-Tapia et al. in 2012. CS is historically associated with a poor prognosis (Marthey et al., 2014). However, histological and clinical improvements have been described in most studies with concomitant usage of corticosteroids and/or gluten-free diet (Marthey et al., 2014). We report a unique case of olmesartan-induced collagenous sprue in a 79-year-old man that showed complete histological and clinical remission with the sole withdrawal of the incriminating drug. The literature on this topic is briefly reviewed.
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5.
Resistant hypertension: a review of diagnosis and management.
Vongpatanasin, W
JAMA. 2014;(21):2216-24
Abstract
Resistant hypertension-uncontrolled hypertension with 3 or more antihypertensive agents-is increasingly common in clinical practice. Clinicians should exclude pseudoresistant hypertension, which results from nonadherence to medications or from elevated blood pressure related to the white coat syndrome. In patients with truly resistant hypertension, thiazide diuretics, particularly chlorthalidone, should be considered as one of the initial agents. The other 2 agents should include calcium channel blockers and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors for cardiovascular protection. An increasing body of evidence has suggested benefits of mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists, such as eplerenone and spironolactone, in improving blood pressure control in patients with resistant hypertension, regardless of circulating aldosterone levels. Thus, this class of drugs should be considered for patients whose blood pressure remains elevated after treatment with a 3-drug regimen to maximal or near maximal doses. Resistant hypertension may be associated with secondary causes of hypertension including obstructive sleep apnea or primary aldosteronism. Treating these disorders can significantly improve blood pressure beyond medical therapy alone. The role of device therapy for treating the typical patient with resistant hypertension remains unclear.
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6.
Cardiac risk factors: new cholesterol and blood pressure management guidelines.
Anthony, D, George, P, Eaton, CB
FP essentials. 2014;:28-43
Abstract
The 2013 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association cholesterol guidelines depart from low-density lipoprotein (LDL) treatment targets and recommend treating four specific patient groups with statins. Statins are the only cholesterol-lowering drugs with randomized trial evidence of benefit for preventing atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). The groups are patients with clinical ASCVD; patients ages 40 to 75 years with diabetes and LDL of 70 to 189 mg/dL but no clinical ASCVD; patients 21 years or older with LDL levels of 190 mg/dL or higher; and patients ages 40 to 75 years with LDL of 70 to 189 mg/dL without clinical ASCVD or diabetes but with 10-year ASCVD risk of 7.5% or higher. Ten-year ASCVD risk may be calculated using the Pooled Cohort Equations. The Eighth Joint National Committee (JNC 8) guidelines for blood pressure management recommend a blood pressure goal of less than 140/90 mm Hg for all adults except those 60 years or older. For the latter group, the JNC 8 recommends a systolic blood pressure goal of less than 150 mm Hg. In another notable change from prior guidelines, the JNC 8 recommends relaxing the systolic blood pressure goal for patients with diabetes and chronic kidney disease to less than 140 mm Hg from less than 130 mm Hg.
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7.
Hypertension in the elderly: some practical considerations.
Chaudhry, KN, Chavez, P, Gasowski, J, Grodzicki, T, Messerli, FH
Cleveland Clinic journal of medicine. 2012;(10):694-704
Abstract
Data from randomized controlled trials suggest that treating hypertension in the elderly, including octogenarians, may substantially reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and death. However, treatment remains challenging because of comorbidities and aging-related changes. We present common case scenarios encountered while managing elderly patients with hypertension, including secondary hypertension, adverse effects of drugs, labile hypertension, orthostatic hypotension, and dementia.
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8.
Management of arterial hypertension occurring early after living donor liver transplantation in children: report of three cases and review of the literature.
Hayashi, T, Kato, H, Kaneko, M, Kasahara, M
Pediatric cardiology. 2009;(8):1161-5
Abstract
Three pediatric patients with hypertension occurring early after liver transplantation are reviewed. The patients were all female, and underwent living donor liver transplantation at the age of 9 years, 1 month, and 7 months. The etiology of liver disease was cirrhosis due to biliary atresia in two patients and fulminant hepatitis in one patient. Antihypertensive therapy with calcium channel blocker alone was not effective. Blood pressure was eventually controlled after the administration of a beta-adrenergic blocker in addition to the calcium channel blocker to all patients. No end-organ damage was observed, except that two patients developed temporary left ventricular hypertrophy.
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9.
[Hyponatremia with somnolence due to indapamide].
Hamano, T, Yamamoto, T, Miyamori, I, Kuriyama, M
Rinsho shinkeigaku = Clinical neurology. 2008;(1):52-5
Abstract
We report here an 83-year-old woman presenting with somnolence possibly induced by indapamide. She was diagnosed as having hypertension (180/110 mmHg), and 1 mg/day of indapamide was administered starting in October, 2002. Two months later, she complained of nausea, vomiting, and appetite loss and frequently fell down. On admission, she was hypotensive (90/54 mmHg). Neurologically, she was in a somnolent state (Japan Coma Scale 2-20), and showed brisk deep tendon reflexes of both upper limbs with bilateral Chaddock signs. Laboratory examination showed severe hyponatremia (115 mEq/l) and hypokalaemia (2.8 mEq/l). On brain MR imaging, there were no remarkable abnormalities, except for multiple lacunar infarctions. After the administration of indapamide was discontinued, her consciousness level and serum electrolytes immediately returned to normal levels. After a good effect for stroke prevention was reported, indapamide was widely prescribed in combination with angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, or angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) among the neurologists. We should keep in mind the risk of hyponatremia and hypokalaemia occurring in patients receiving indapamide, especially elderly women.
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10.
New insights in the treatment strategy for pulmonary arterial hypertension.
Sahara, M, Takahashi, T, Imai, Y, Nakajima, T, Yao, A, Morita, T, Hirata, Y, Nagai, R
Cardiovascular drugs and therapy. 2006;(5):377-86
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Recent advances in our understanding of the pathophysiological and molecular mechanisms involved in pulmonary arterial hypertension have led to the development of novel and rational pharmacological therapies. In addition to conventional therapy (i.e., supplemental oxygen and calcium channel blockers), prostacyclin or endothelin receptor antagonists have been recommended as a first-line therapy for pulmonary arterial hypertension. However, these treatments have potential limitations with regard to their long-term efficacy and improvement in survival. Furthermore, intravenous prostacyclin (epoprostenol) therapy, which is recommended by most experts for patients with New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class IV, is complicated, uncomfortable for patients, and expensive because of the cumbersome administration system. Considering these circumstances, it is necessary to develop additional novel therapeutic approaches that target the various components of this multifactorial disease. CASE REPORT In this short review, we present an overview of the current treatment options for pulmonary arterial hypertension and describe a case report with primary pulmonary hypertension. A male patient with NYHA functional class IV and showing no response to calcium channel blockers and prostacyclin exhibited significantly improved exercise tolerance and hemodynamics and long-term survival for more than 2.5 years after receiving an oral combination therapy of a phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor (sildenafil), phosphodiesterase type 3 inhibitor (pimobendan), and nicorandil. FUTURE PERSPECTIVE We also discuss the background and plausible potential mechanisms involved in this case, as well as future perspectives in the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension.