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Biomedical subjects

C Bianchini

Publications and source records attributed to C Bianchini.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1981

Effects of tiapride infusion on plasma levels of beta-endorphin, prolactin and dopamine in patients with pain from cancer.

Tiapride, a substituted benzamide, exerts an antalgic effect in man. To examine the possibility that tiapride analgesia might be related to a mechanism involving a release of endogenous opioids, the acute effects of an intravenous injection of the drug on plasma radioimmunoassayable beta-endorphin were studied in patients with pain from cancer (placebo-tiapride double-blind randomized trial). Seeing that substituted benzamides affect prolactin secretion, the plasmatic levels of prolactin and dopamine, a known factor inhibiting prolactin release, were studied as well. The tiapride infusion produced a slight but significant increase in plasma beta-endorphin level, an early and significant increase in plasma prolactin, and a sudden and highly significant decrease in plasma dopamine. These results are compatible with the hypothesis that tiapride influences the neuroendocrine system.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗
PubMed1980

Time-course of the anti-hypertensive action of atenolol: comparison of response to first dose and to maintained oral administration.

To show whether repeated administration of atenolol for several days would influence its pharmacokinetic parameters and the extent and duration of the pharmacologic responses, the plasma level of atenolol and changes in heart rate, blood pressure and plasma renin activity were measured in 12 hypertensive patients at various times of day (9 a. m., 12 noon, 3 p. m. and 7 p. m.) after oral administration of the first dose of atenolol 100 mg, again during the 7th and 14th days of continued once-daily administration of the same dose, and finally during the three days following withdrawal of the drug. The peak plasma concentration of atenolol (about 600 ng/ml) was found 3 h after administration of the first dose, and measurable amounts (50-70 ng/ml) were found after 24 h. None of the pharmacokinetic characteristics were changed by administration of a single daily dose for two weeks. After withdrawal of the drug, detectable amounts of atenolol were found in plasma for at least 48 h. The first dose of atenolol caused prompt (3 h) and prolonged (up to 24 h) lowering of supine and standing systolic and diastolic blood pressures, slowing of supine and standing heart rate, reduction of the blood pressure and heart rate responses to dynamic exercise, and a decrease in plasma renin activity. The extent and time-course of all these responses were not influenced by repeated once-daily administration of the 100 mg dose for two weeks. Most of the effects continued during the withdrawal days, the lowering of blood pressure being somewhat more prolonged than the slowing of heart rate. It is concluded that a once-daily dose of atenolol 100 mg decreases blood pressure and heart rate throughout the following 24 h, without excessive daily fluctuation in its effects, and without signs of tolerance or accumulation.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1980

Antihypertensive and renal effects of orally administered verapamil.

In 12 in-patients with moderate uncomplicated hypertension, maintained on constant sodium intake for 15 days, single-blind oral administration of verapamil 80-160 mg t.i.d. for 10 days had a significant antihypertensive effect: in the supine position systolic blood pressure decreased from 177 +/- 5 to 150 +/- 3 mmHg, and diastolic pressure from 111 +/- 3 to 96 +/- 2 mmHg; standing values were similarly lowered from 171 +/- 7 to 143 +/- 4 mmHg, systolic, and from 118 +/- 4 to 97 +/- 2 mmHg, diastolic. The heart rate did not show any significant change (from 79 +/- 3 to 77 +/- 2 beats/min, supine, and from 92 +/- 3 to 87 +/- 3 beats/min, upright). The antihypertensive effect was uniform throughout the day, being similar 2, 3, 6 and 8 h after administration of a dose. Dynamic exercise (75-100 watts on a cycle-ergometer) caused identical increases in arterial pressure and heart rate on the last day of placebo and again on the last day with verapamil, but the peak levels of systolic pressure reached during exercise were lower after verapamil than with placebo, because of the lower blood pressure before exercise. Reduction of arterial pressure by verapamil was not accompanied by increased plasma renin activity, or by renal retention of sodium and water: there was a small increase in sodium excretion, at least during the first days of verapamil administration (from 107 +/- 15 to 113 +/- 15 mEq Na+/day), and a slight significant reduction in body weight (from 74.2 +/- 3.7 to 73.5 +/- 3.7 kg). It is concluded that oral administration of verapamil significantly lowers blood pressure without simultaneously inducing cardiac stimulation, renin secretion or salt and water retention.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Plasma catecholamines and plasma renin activity at birth and during the first days of life.

1. Plasma noradrenaline and adrenaline concentrations and plasma renin activity were measured in 21 mothers at delivery and in their babies at birth (umbilical cord blood) and on days 1 and 5 of extrauterine life. 2. At birth plasma renin activity was significantly higher in the newborn than in mothers. Plasma renin activity increased further, but not significantly, on day 1 of life and significantly decreased on day 5. On day 5, 10 min head-up tilting caused no change in plasma renin activity. 3. Plasma noradrenaline in the newborn was higher than in mothers at birth and significantly decreased thereafter. Plasma adrenaline levels at birth were similar in the newborn and their mothers and significantly lower in the newborn in subsequent days. Tilting caused no increase in either plasma adrenaline or noradrenaline levels. 4. No correlation was found between plasma noradrenaline and adrenaline levels and plasma renin activity, or between noradrenaline, adrenaline or plasma renin activity and blood pressure.

Blood Pressure↗
PubMed1980

Dose-response curve and time course of the antihypertensive effect of SKF 92 657, a beta-receptor-blocking and vasodilating compound.

1. The antihypertensive effect of the new drug, SKF 92 657, a hydrazinopyridazine derivative, possessing both beta-adrenoreceptor-blocking and vasodilating properties, was investigated in essential hypertension. 2. Single oral doses of 1.0 or 2.0 mg/kg did not produce any consistent decrease in blood pressure; 4.0 mg/kg was the threshold dose for a mild but not significant blood pressure reduction, whereas 8.0 mg/kg caused a significant and marked blood pressure decrease without clinically relevant changes in heart rate. 3. Continued administration of the drug for 7 days induced a significant and uniform reduction in blood pressure without tachycardia. The increase in systolic blood pressure and in heart rate caused by dynamic exercise was left unaffected by the drug.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗
PubMed1978

Relationship between the hypotensive and renin-stimulating actions of diuretic therapy in hypertensive patients.

1. The pressor role of renin stimulated by chronic diuretic therapy has been assessed in 31 patients with essential hypertension by infusing the angiotensin II antagonist, saralasin, immediately before and at the end of 2 weeks' treatment with the diuretic, chlorthalidone. 2. Under diuretic therapy the change in blood pressure caused by saralasin was found to be correlated to plasma renin activity values, in such a way that small pressor responses were again observed in patients whose renin was mildly stimulated by the diuretic, whereas a marked depressor response occurred in patients whose renin was markedly increased. 3. On the other hand, the hypotensive effect of chlorthalidone was correlated to values of plasma renin activity under diuretic therapy in an opposite direction: indeed little or no decrease and sometimes an increase in blood pressure were observed in patients with marked renin activation by diuretic therapy. 4. It is concluded that stimulation of renin release by chronic diuretic therapy can be considered a factor limiting the hypotensive activity of diuretic drugs.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Comparison of effects of guanfacine and clonidine on blood pressure, heart rate, urinary catecholamines, and cyclic nucleotides during and after administration to patients with mild to moderate hypertension.

In a random trial, the effects of treatment and withdrawal of guanfacine were compared with those of clonidine in 20 uncomplicated hypertensive patients. Elevated blood pressure returned to normal or responded well in all the patients given either guanfacine once daily or clonidine thrice daily. The pulse rate was reduced comparably by both treatments after 12 weeks, but the effect of guanfacine developed more gradually. Both guanfacine and clonidine significantly inhibited urinary noradrenaline, dopamine, and cyclic nucleotide excretion, while urinary adrenaline levels were unaffected. Side effects occurred earlier during treatment with clonidine. After sudden withdrawal, all the parameters tended to increase gradually in the guanfacine group, reaching base line by days 4-6. In the clonidine group the increase was more rapid, with pretreatment values reached within the 2nd day, and sometimes these values were surpassed. After withdrawal of clonidine all the patients had one or more side effects, most of them occurring within 48 h, while only 60% of the patients in the guanfacine group reported the appearance of unwanted symptoms, on days 3-6. It is concluded that there are close similarities between the effects of guanfacine and clonidine on the parameters evaluated, except for dopamine excretion, which was significantly less affected by guanfacine. Marked differences were found after abrupt withdrawal, with guanfacine less likely to produce the "discontinuation syndrome," probably due to its long half-life.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effects of prazosin on autonomic control of circulation in essential hypertension.

Prazosin, an antihypertensive agent that reduces blood pressure (BP) mainly through a blockade of alpha-adrenergic receptors, may, in theory, affect sympathetic control of circulation to an extent that impairs circulatory hemeostasis. This possibility was studied in subjects with essential hypertension by examining the cardiovascular effects of several stimuli that induce a powerful and diversified activation of the sympathetic noradrenergic activity (dynamic and isometric exercise, cold exposure) and of stimuli that exert a powerful inhibitory influence upon the sympathetic nervous system (carotid baroreceptor reflex). Before and after 15 days of continuous administration of prazosin (2-5 mg), 3 times a day, measurements were made of BP (intraarterial catheter), heart rate, cardiac output (thermodilution), and peripheral resistance. Prazosin reduced mean arterial pressure (10%) and peripheral resistance (9%) at rest, and it did not affect heart rate and cardiac output. Neurally mediated changes in arterial pressure, cardiac output, and peripheral resistance during dynamic or isometric exercise and cold exposure were unaffected by the drug; also unaffected were the cardiovascular responses to increase and decrease in carotid baroreceptor activity obtained by varying carotid transmural pressure through a variable neck pressure chamber device. Thus, the hypotensive and vasodilating effect of prazosin in essential hypertension is not accompanied by an impaired response to neural excitation influences upon the cardiovascular system. Also, the inhibitory influences originating from the carotid baroreflex are unchanged. These data indicate that circulatory homeostasis is largely preserved during administration of prazosin at clinically effective doses.

Adult↗