Benzylisoquinolines ; therapeutic use ; Calcium Channel Blockers ; therapeutic use ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Humans ; Pneumoconiosis ; drug therapy ; Tablets

Animals ; Brain Ischemia ; drug therapy ; Calcium Channel Blockers ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Neuroprotective Agents ; therapeutic use ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Sodium Channel Blockers ; therapeutic use

Animals ; Calcium Channel Blockers ; therapeutic use ; Dogs ; Hypothermia ; complications ; Male ; Nimodipine ; therapeutic use ; Ventricular Fibrillation ; etiology ; prevention & control

The purpose of the present study was to discuss the effects of risedronate on osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee by reviewing the existing literature. The literature was searched with PubMed, with respect to prospective, double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled trials (RCTs), using the following search terms: risedronate, knee, and osteoarthritis. Two RCTs met the criteria. A RCT (n = 231) showed that risedronate treatment (15 mg/day) for 1 year improved symptoms. A larger RCT (n = 1,896) showed that risedronate treatment (5 mg/day, 15 mg/day, 35 mg/week, and 50 mg/week) for 2 years did not improve signs or symptoms, nor did it alter radiological progression. However, a subanalysis study (n = 477) revealed that patients with marked cartilage loss preserved the structural integrity of subchondral bone by risedronate treatment (15 mg/day and 50 mg/week). Another subanalysis study (n = 1,885) revealed that C-terminal crosslinking telopeptide of type II collagen (CTX-II) decreased with risedronate treatment in a dose-dependent manner, and levels reached after 6 months were associated with radiological progression at 2 years. The results of these RCTs show that risedronate reduces the marker of cartilage degradation (CTX-II), which could contribute to attenuation of radiological progression of OA by preserving the structural integrity of subchondral bone. The review of the literature suggests that higher doses of risedronate (15 mg/day) strongly reduces the marker of cartilage degradation (CTX-II), which could contribute to attenuation of radiological progression of OA by preserving the structural integrity of subchondral bone.
Animals ; Calcium Channel Blockers/pharmacology/*therapeutic use ; Cartilage/drug effects ; Diphosphonates/therapeutic use ; Etidronic Acid/*analogs & derivatives/pharmacology/therapeutic use ; Humans ; Osteoarthritis, Knee/*drug therapy

Calcium Channel Blockers ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Cerebral Infarction ; drug therapy ; Coronary Disease ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Pyrazines ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Vasodilator Agents ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use

BACKGROUNDTamsulosin, an alpha-1 receptor antagonist, has been demonstrated effective in promoting distal ureteral stone passage and in reducing pain associated with stone expulsion. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of tamsulosin in comparison with nifedipine and extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) on the expulsion rate of distal ureteral stones at different sizes.

METHODSWe assigned 314 patients to three categories: I, the stone with maximal diameter of 4.0 - 5.9 mm; II, 6.0 - 7.9 mm, and III, 8.0 - 9.9 mm. Patients in each category were randomly subdivided into three treatment subgroups: group A (nifedipine group), group B (tamsulosin group), and group C (ESWL group). Stone-free rate and the dose of analgesics were recorded weekly during the 4-week follow-up period.

RESULTSThree hundred and three patients completed the study. The results showed that nifedipine and tamsulosin treatments promoted a small (4 - 8 mm, categories I and II) stone expulsive rate that was comparable with ESWL treatment. Nonetheless, when the stone diameter was 8.0 - 9.9 mm, ESWL showed a greater stone free rate than nifedipine and tamsulosin treatments; no significant difference existed between the latter two therapies. Although the ESWL treatment group required the least analgesics, tamsulosin treatments required less pain medication than nifedipine (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSTamsulosin treatment is recommended for patients with the stone diameter smaller than 8 mm because of its feasibility, effectiveness and safety. ESWL is more appropriate than tamsulosin therapy for the patients whose stones are larger than 8 mm.

Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists ; pharmacology ; Adult ; Calcium Channel Blockers ; pharmacology ; Female ; Humans ; Lithotripsy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nifedipine ; therapeutic use ; Sulfonamides ; therapeutic use ; Treatment Outcome ; Ureteral Calculi ; drug therapy ; therapy

OBJECTIVETo compare the effects of amlodipine, benidipine and nifedipine on myocardial hypertrophy and evaluate the underlying mechanism.

METHODSMyocardial hypertrophy model was created by transverse aortic constriction (TAC) in C57 BL/6 mice, and plasma catecholamine concentrations were measured 7 days after surgery to confirm the sympathetic activation. The 3 drugs were administered in TAC mice for 7 days and cardiac hypertrophy was evaluated according to the heart-to-body weight ratio (HW/BW). Effects of those drugs on the protein synthesis stimulated by phenylephrine in cultured neonatal cardiac myocytes were also examined.

RESULTSHW/BW and plasma concentrations of catecholamine were significantly increased in TAC mice one week after surgery in comparison with to sham-operated mice. One week after TAC, the HW/BW ratio was significantly lower in the amolodipine but not nifedipine-treated group than in the TAC group. Administration of nifedipine via minipump infusion for one week did not decrease HW/BW ratio. Treatment with amlodpine or benidipine, but not nifedipine, decreased the neonatal rat myocyte protein synthesis induced by phenylephrine stimulation.

CONCLUSIONAntihypertrophic effect of DHEs on myocardium is dependent on their potential of blocking N-type calcium channel, and the underlying mechanism involves the sympathetic inhibition.

Amlodipine ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Animals ; Calcium Channel Blockers ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Calcium Channels, N-Type ; drug effects ; Cardiomegaly ; drug therapy ; etiology ; Dihydropyridines ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Disease Models, Animal ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Nifedipine ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use

This paper provides an overview of the current state of pharmacotherapy in children with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and a brief introduction to the potentially novel pharmacologic targets for PAH. Currently, 3 classes of drugs including prostacyclin analogues, endothelin receptor antagonists and phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors are approved for the treatment of PAH in children, which has led to improved hemodynamics, increased exercise capacity and prolonged survival. Despite these improvements, there is still a need to carry out well-designed, randomized, controlled studies with larger samples. In addition, novel drugs targeting other molecular pathways should be developed.
1-(5-Isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-Methylpiperazine ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use ; Calcium Channel Blockers ; therapeutic use ; Child ; Epoprostenol ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use ; Familial Primary Pulmonary Hypertension ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; Iloprost ; therapeutic use ; Sulfonamides ; therapeutic use

OBJECTIVETo compare the renal protective effects between calcium channel blocker benidipine and angiotensin II receptor blocker valsartan in primary hypertension patients with proteinuria.

METHODSA total of 236 patients were divided to low (< 1 g/24 h) and high (1 - 3 g/24 h) proteinuria groups and treated with benidipine (8 mg/d) or valsartan (80 mg/d) for 48 weeks. Blood pressure, glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and 24 h protein were measured at baseline, 12, 24 and 48 weeks.

RESULTSBlood pressure was significantly and equally reduced in all treated groups (all P < 0.05 vs. baseline). GFR was also significantly and equally improved in all treated groups after 24 weeks treatments (all P < 0.05 at 24 weeks and 48 weeks). Proteinuria reduction at 24 and 48 weeks was more significant in patients treated with valsartan compared to patients treated with benidipine in low proteinuria group [24 weeks: (0.27 +/- 0.07) g/24 h vs. (0.39 +/- 0.06) g/24 h, P < 0.01; 48 weeks: (0.18 +/- 0.01) g/24 h vs. (0.30 +/- 0.05) g/24 h, P < 0.01].

CONCLUSIONThe renal protection efficacy of valsartan and benidipine was similar in primary hypertensive patients with proteinuria.

Adult ; Aged ; Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists ; therapeutic use ; Calcium Channel Blockers ; therapeutic use ; Dihydropyridines ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Glomerular Filtration Rate ; Humans ; Hypertension ; complications ; drug therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Proteinuria ; complications ; drug therapy ; Tetrazoles ; therapeutic use ; Valine ; analogs & derivatives ; therapeutic use ; Valsartan

OBJECTIVE: To determine the therapeutic status and rate of reaching target blood pressure in elderly isolated systolic hypertension (EISH) patients who were hospitalized and to discuss the rationality of the drug therapy. METHODS: Three hundred and fifty-seven EISH inpatients were investigated retrospectively. The frequencies of using antihypertensive drugs and the strategy of drug therapy programs were calculated. The drug efficacies were assessed among various drug therapy groups. RESULTS: The frequencies of using antihypertensive medicine categories were calcium channel blocker (CCB) 64. 15%, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) 32.77%, diuretics 26.33%, beta-blocker (BB) 25.77%, angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) 23.81%, and alpha-blocker 4.20%, respectively. Among the 357 cases 42.86% were treated with monotherapy while 57.14% with combined therapy. Among the combination therapy groups, the diuretic-based multiple therapy occupied 16.53%, and the non-diuretic-based multiple therapy held 40.62%. The systolic blood pressure control rate was 67.79%. The rate of diastolic blood pressure < or = 70 mmHg was 26.89%, 8 cases of them occurred myocardial ischemia. CONCLUSION How to select the optimal antihypertensive drug therapy for EISH patients is important in achieving the blood pressure goal. While thinking over intervention at lower blood pressure levels to achieve target goals, physicians should prevent from excessively lowering the diastolic blood pressure.
Adrenergic beta-Antagonists ; therapeutic use ; Aged ; Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors ; therapeutic use ; Antihypertensive Agents ; therapeutic use ; Calcium Channel Blockers ; therapeutic use ; Diuretics ; therapeutic use ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; drug therapy ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Systole